


A Kitty Story

by StarkerThanReality



Series: A Kitty Story Collection [1]
Category: Marvel (Comics), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Brief Bruce/Steve, Bucky Barnes Needs a Hug, Cages, Caretaking, Crying, Daddy Kink, Dark Clint Barton, Dead Dove: Do Not Eat, Emotional Healing, Explicit Sexual Content, Hand Jobs, Healing, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Kink Exploration, M/M, Master/Pet, Men Crying, Mentions of Violence, Mildly Dubious Consent, Muzzles, Near Drowning, Non-powered AU, OOC, Out of Character, Praise Kink, Sexual Abuse, Starvation, Tony Stark Has A Heart, Urination, Water Torture, Whump, crygasm, past traumas mentioned, pissing, potty training
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-17
Updated: 2020-07-17
Packaged: 2021-02-27 05:55:05
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 11
Words: 103,641
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22292170
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StarkerThanReality/pseuds/StarkerThanReality
Summary: Tony receives a call one day from someone he hasn't heard from in years. He's asked to do a favor and pet-sit so he decides he might as well.This kitty isn't exactly what he bargained for.
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes & Clint Barton, James "Bucky" Barnes/Tony Stark
Series: A Kitty Story Collection [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1917445
Comments: 167
Kudos: 310
Collections: Storiesthatdonthaveconclusions





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This story was born when I horribly misread a prompt on Tumblr and this was created in my mind. Hopefully posting it here as well will help it to be read, as it did very poorly there.

Tony hadn't thought about the people he'd met at the nondescript, secretive kink clubs he'd used to frequent for a very long time. In fact, it had been years since he'd even thought about them, having found that they were less provocative than he'd once imagined. He had his kinks but the stuff in those clubs was next level, and often more than he could handle. 

Sure, it had been fun discovering some of the less talked about kinks that people indulged in, and he'd had fun dabbling in them himself, but he'd long since decided that he preferred more tame things than what they had to offer. 

When he received a call from a number that was not listed in his contacts, he'd assumed it was some telemarketer or another scam of some sort. He'd answered the call with all the interest of a bowl of soup.

"Hello?"  
"Hey, is this Tony?" The voice on the other end had asked. The man's voice sounded vaguely familiar but he couldn't put a finger on why.

"Yes? Who's this?"  
"It's Clint! Good to hear from you again!"

A tremor ran down Tony's spine as the fuzzy, long ago memories flooded back to him. He recalled a man just shorter than him with sandy brownish-blonde hair and being on his knees before him a few times. He remembered a few nights of being of service to the man at the clubs, but not really enjoying the level of aggression he'd displayed. 

"Clint! Wow, it's been a long time!" Tony said, forcing a friendly tone while simultaneously wiping his palms anxiously against his jeans. How had he gotten his phone number?

"Yeah! Yeah, been a while. Hey listen, I know we don't really know each other that well, but I was wondering if I could ask a favor of you."

A favor?

"Okay, what's up?"

What kind of favor could the man possibly ask from him?

"Well, I have to go out of town for a few weeks and I need someone to watch my…my cat. I would ask someone a little closer but everyone I know is either allergic or doesn't have space."

His cat?

"So you need somewhere to board it, basically? Why not take her to one of those pet resort places?"

"Well, _he_ is kind of a special needs kitty. Sort of. And I don't have the money to keep him there for two weeks. As I said, I've asked everyone I know, I really don't have any more options."

"Well…when do you have to leave?"

"Day after tomorrow. I'd have to drop him off tomorrow afternoon. I'd, of course, provide all of his food and things he needs. I can bring his kennel and some toys."

"Kennel? What kind of cat needs a kennel?" Tony asked with a wry chuckle. 

"Well, I just want him to be kennel trained for when I have to go away for work. Anyways, I'd bring everything he needs and I'm willing to reimburse you for anything you might need to get for him."

"Well…" Tony paused for a moment. It's not like he didn't have space, and lord knows he could use the company being alone in his huge house most of the time. And he worked from home, so it's not like he wouldn't be around enough. "Tomorrow?"

"Yeah, afternoon. Whaddya say?"

"I…guess that should be fine. I can take care of him."

"Thanks, Tony! You're the best! I'll be by tomorrow to drop him off!"

Tony gave Clint his address and said goodbye, hanging up his phone and thinking over what he'd just agreed to. The whole situation was strange. He wasn't even sure how Clint had gotten his information, or why the man even remembered him at all. He supposed maybe this was just life trying to get him to branch out more. Make new friends, reconnect with old acquaintances, whatever. 

The next day Tony spent most of the morning straightening up his small ranch style home and kitten proofing anything and everything he could think of, from tucking away any loose wires to blocking off any small openings a kitten could get itself lodged into. By the time the knock on the door came, he was pacing anxiously.

"Hey!" He smiled, faux confidence in his voice as he greeted the man at the door. He hadn't changed much, aside from a few fine lines that graced his blue eyes much the same way they graced Tony's dark brown ones. 

"Hey! Look at you! You look really great!" Clint greeted, pulling Tony in for a tight hug that lingered a touch too long for Tony's liking. When the man pulled away, his blue eyes raked over Tony in a way that made him feel naked. "Wow," Clint said, seemingly to himself as he practically examined Tony through his clothes. 

Tony cleared his throat quietly and he felt his cheeks flush pink, but he kept up the feigned confidence.

"So, uh, where is he?" He asked, taking in the bag of generic kitty kibble and the broken down wire kennel pieces in his hands. 

"Oh, he's in my car, I'll get him once I've got everything set up. Where do you want the kennel?" He asked, looking around. 

"Uh, I guess just put it in the living room for now. Can I help you bring things in?" He asked, noticing a few items on the ground outside the door, as well as a black zippered bag. 

"Sure, you wanna grab his bowls?" Clint suggested as he made his way to the living room. Tony quickly retrieved the two empty bowls and a toy mouse from the ground and followed Clint inside, closing the door behind him. The bowls were huge, almost bigger than a usual dog's bowl and strangely flat. He'd never seen anything like it. 

He watched as Clint began to build the kennel, noticing for the first time how large the pieces were. 

"Jeez, is this for a horse?" Tony joked as he watched the wire cage take shape. Clint chuckled as he worked.

"Nah, just your average dog."

"Wait, I thought you said it was a cat?" Tony asked, beginning to grow suspicious. 

"Oh…right. A cat. You'll like him, he's quiet, for the most part. He cries sometimes but I brought his muzzle too." 

Muzzle? What kind of cat wore a muzzle?

"I will tell you, he can get a little crazy. That's usually when I crate him. And he gets pretty… _needy_...at night. He'll wake you up at three in the morning if you don't put him in his cage before you go to sleep. He listens well though."

"Okay…" Tony said as he thought about the strange things the near-stranger was telling him. Something didn't quite add up about this strange dog-cat. 

"Alright, it's all set up. Ready to meet him?" Clint asked, standing back up from the floor. 

"I suppose as ready as I'll ever be," Tony replied with a smirk. 

"Alright, I'll go get him, but I have to get going right after, I'm running behind."

"Okay, no problem," Tony replied, taking in the kennel fit for a Great Dane once more. He paced over to his kitchen to wait.

Within a few minutes, he heard Clint approaching the door once again, talking to the animal. None of it sounded friendly. 

"C'mon, you stupid thing! Let's go! Stop being a chicken-shit and get your ass over here! I don't have time for your shit right now!" Tony heard what sounded like a hard smack, followed by a high-pitched, muffled yelp of pain. He didn't think he was supposed to hear the conversation, but the door was still cracked open. He swallowed thickly and nearly regretted saying yes to cat-sitting. Nearly. But maybe the animal would be better off for the few weeks it was here. Clint clearly hadn't changed as far as his aggression went. 

"Alright, sorry to drop off and run, Tony, but I have to get out of here!" Clint said as he stepped through the door once more. Tony searched him quickly for any signs of a cat, but he was empty-handed.

"He's coming, I'll leave the door open for him. Thanks again, Tony!" He called as he turned and hurried for his car in the driveway. 

What the hell?

Tony quickly made his way over to the door to bring the cat inside. No way he was going to end up with this thing going missing on his first day of being in charge of it. He poked his head outside and his heart nearly stopped at what he took in. 

A scraggly, scrawny man crouched outside the door, watching Clint leave. Tony realized immediately that he was naked. At the sound of Tony's gasp, the man's head flew around and he met Tony with terrified looking icy blue eyes. His hair hung long and greasy in his face and he was filthy. Tony could smell him from the few feet that lay between them. He whimpered, high pitched and quiet in his throat and his eyes were shiny with unshed tears. The bottom half of his face was covered by a black mask, some form of thick Kevlar type material that was strapped tightly around his head.

"Holy shit," Tony exclaimed. The two looked at each other for a few moments before Tony could decide what to do. He hadn't signed up for this.

Quickly, he decided to usher the man inside before any neighbors could see him. He moved on all fours like a beast and looked around timidly at his surroundings before quickly rushing to his kennel, the only thing that was familiar.

Tony whipped his phone from his pocket and dialed the number that Clint had called him from the day before. Clint answered on the second ring. 

"Y'ello?" 

"What the fuck Clint, you said this was a cat! What the hell am I supposed to do with this…missing link?!" Tony shouted into the phone. Clint laughed. 

"Aw come on Tony! It's only for two weeks and I told you, he's a good cat! Just make sure you keep his food and water bowls full and let him outside to pee every now and again. His name's Bucky, by the way. He's a pretty tight fuck too if you wanna try him out. Listen, I'm almost at the airport, I gotta go!" Clint proclaimed, ending the call before Tony could even stop sputtering. 

He should have known Clint would still be into some weird pet-play fetish shit like this. What the hell was he supposed to do now? He could call the cops but really, what the hell would he say? Perhaps he should just send the man home. 

He took a deep breath and looked back at the strange man where he huddled in his kennel. His knees were drawn up close to his body and he hugged himself tightly, shivering in the cold metal of his cage.

"Look, Bucky, buddy, you really should just go home. Clint didn't tell me-I mean, he said you were a cat and, well maybe…you _are_ a cat but I mean, I thought he meant a _real_ cat." Tony sighed and scrubbed his hand over his face in exasperation.

The dark-haired man didn't seem to acknowledge that Tony was speaking to him. 

"Bucky? Can you hear me?" He called a little softer. The man's eyes whipped up to meet Tony's again and his shaking became more violent. He looked completely terrified. 

"You can go home, buddy," Tony said again, holding the door open. Bucky retreated farther into his cage, whining low in his chest. Tony sighed again and turned, completely at a loss about how to handle the situation. He'd dabbled in pet-play before but he wouldn't call himself an expert at it. And he really wasn't prepared to have to do it for two weeks. 

"Fuck," he muttered under his breath, heading for the kitchen. He needed a drink. 

He poured himself a double shot of whiskey and took it down in one go, pouring himself another glass full. He turned and looked back at the man, really taking him in this time. 

He was skinny. _Gaunt_ , even. His hair was dirty and matted and his skin was sallow and covered in filth, black at his hands, feet, and knees. He wondered how long Clint had been keeping him this way and he felt a pang of sympathy in his chest. He'd had his own fair share of mistreatment at the hands of Clint, but nothing like this, and only a few times, one night at a time. 

The man's bones stuck out at sharp angles and his eyes looked dull like he hadn't had a proper night's rest in years.

Maybe Tony should give the pet-play thing another try, if only to get this man looking less malnourished. 

"Hey, are you hungry?" Tony asked from where he stood in the kitchen. The man, Bucky, seemed to hear Tony, his eyes flicking slightly up to the sound of his voice, but Tony couldn't be sure if he knew what was being said to him. Clint had mentioned something about him being specials needs. Maybe this is what he'd meant. 

Tony decided to play into the role of caregiver fully. What could it hurt?

He crouched down and held his hand out as he clicked his tongue softly. 

"Here, kitty-kitty. C'mere, kitty, c'mon," he called softly, trying to coax the man from his hiding place. 

Bucky turned his head and his eyes grew wide, filling with tears once again. His whining became louder, but he slowly began to move from the cage. He seemed hesitant and Tony couldn't blame him. Who knew if he'd even been told what was happening. As far as he knew, he was just abandoned with a total stranger. 

He slunk across the floor closer to Tony, staying low to the ground as he moved. He stopped a few feet outside of Tony's reach and his whining had turned to downright pitiful crying as tears flowed down his thin cheeks, cutting trails in the dirt that caked his face and collecting at the top of the confining mask. 

"It's okay, sweetheart. I won't hurt you. C'mere, you want a treat?" He asked, slowly reaching up to the counter for the container that Clint had brought. He popped the lid off the plastic canister and shook a few into his hand. He couldn't imagine a person actually wanting to eat these things, but Bucky's eyes grew huge at the sight of them, his attention on nothing but the treats. 

"That's it, come here, bud," Tony coaxed as Bucky inched forward. Finally, the man was close enough and he looked at Tony warily as he reached forward to unclasp the mask. Once it had fallen to the floor, Tony could see that the man had scraggly, unkempt facial hair. Bucky leaned forward to eat the treats directly from Tony's palm. 

"This is the weirdest thing that's ever happened to me," Tony said quietly as he reached cautiously to touch the man. When his fingers made contact with Bucky's filthy hair, Tony had to shove down the urge to cringe and Bucky flinched back slightly at the contact. 

When Tony continued to pet at the man, Bucky seemed to slowly grow more confident, leaning into the touch. Tony gently brushed the stringy hanks of hair from Bucky's face and suddenly he could see the angry red mark left by Clint's hand. He let out a low whistle and shook his head.

"How about we go take a bath, huh?" He suggested. Bucky's face seemed to light up at the words, his spine straightening a bit before he quickly cowered back down and hung his head low to the floor. 

"It's okay!" Tony said, stroking along the man's knobby spine. "You can take a bath here!" From the way he looked, Bucky may as well have never had a bath in his life. From the way he smelled, it may have been twice that long. Tony slowly stood to his feet, holding his hand out to Bucky still and he began to walk slowly down the hallway to his bathroom, clucking his tongue at the man the whole way. 

Bucky followed cautiously behind, taking in his surroundings with wide, if a bit glassy eyes. When they reached the bathroom, Tony stepped inside and turned the water on, not looking back at Bucky for fear of spooking him. He let the tub fill with hot water and hummed as it filled, sitting gently on the ledge. He smiled softly at the man, though the whole situation just seemed so damn strange. 

Bucky slowly investigated everything in the bathroom, sniffing at the towels in the holder that stood against the wall and looking around at the other fixtures in the bathroom. Finally, the tub was filled and Tony shut off the water.

"You wanna come in?" Tony asked gently, watching the man's reaction. He didn't seem to even realize that he was being spoken to. 

"Bucky?" Tony called softly, catching the man's attention immediately. "You wanna take a bath?" He asked again, running his fingers through the water invitingly. Bucky inched forward and leaned up on his haunches, peeking into the bathtub. His eyes flicked up to Tony like he wasn't sure what to do. 

"Let's get in, Tony coaxed, pulling his hand from the water slowly and reaching for Bucky. 

The brunette shied away from his hand, watching him cautiously. 

"Come on," Tony said, standing slowly. "It's time for a bath."

He reached forward and gripped Bucky firmly under his arms. He could feel each of the man's ribs under his fingers and he shuddered. 

Bucky began to yowl, high pitched and loud, clearly frightened. Tony had never experienced anything like this before. This had to be something different than pet-play. This was….he didn't know what, but it didn't seem right. 

He quickly hoisted the man awkwardly, barely a feat given how light he was, and deposited him into the water. Dirt seemed to pour off of him like the world's most disgusting bath bomb and Tony realized cleaning him up was going to be no easy feat. 

He expected to have to wrestle the man once he was in the water, but to his surprise, Bucky's whimpers grew quieter and began to taper off as he realized that Tony wasn't planning to hurt him. 

He began to press his arms out at length, testing the water, and soon he was wearing a tiny smile, watching the water as it rippled and bounced back at him off the edges of the tub. He lifted a hand from the water and inspected it, then dropped it back into the water, creating a small splash. His eyes went wide with joy and he turned to look at Tony, splashing his hand again harder. His mouth opened into a huge smile and he made a sound that was like a muted laugh before he began splashing wildly. 

Tony laughed and brought his arms up in front of his face to avoid getting splashed, unsuccessfully. 

"Alright, alright bud! Let's get you scrubbed up, okay? You have so much dirt caked on you, I'll have to get a wire brush to get it all off," he joked as he grabbed a clean washcloth from under the bathroom sink and a bar of soap.

Bucky stopped splashing and watched Tony carefully, craning his head to see what he was doing. Tony dunked the washcloth into the tub and squeezed out the excess water, rubbing a thick amount of soap onto it. 

"You ready?" He asked as he reached out to Bucky with the cloth. He was a little nervous about how he would react. 

He slowly touched Bucky's chest with the cloth and paused, searching the man's face. He looked scared but he wasn't trying to fight, so Tony began to scrub him gently. He laughed to himself at what a strange day it had turned out to be. He'd have never guessed he'd be washing a fully grown, adult stranger in his own tub. A part of him was actually kind of enjoying it, though he'd never admit it to himself. 

"There, that's not so bad, right?" Tony said as he watched layers of grime come loose from his skin. Tony successfully managed to scrub Bucky's upper half without incident and rinse him off, but by then the bathwater had grown so dark he couldn't even see the bottom of the tub. He quickly pulled the drain and decided that the showerhead might be a better option. 

Once the water had drained enough, he ran the water again, moving the handheld sprayer to rinse the loose grime from Bucky's body. He then grabbed a bottle of liquid soap instead, deeming it easier to use, and set about peeling away the caked on layers of dirt at Bucky's elbows and knees. Bucky sat watching Tony's every movement silently. 

"Alright, sweetheart, I need you to stand up so I can do your legs," Tony instructed, sitting back to allow the man to stand. When Bucky didn't move, Tony repeated himself. 

"Stand up, please."

Bucky sat, straight-faced. 

"Here," Tony said, offering his hand to Bucky. The brunette just looked at it. Tony reached down into the tub and took Bucky's hand firmly, standing and guiding Bucky to his feet as well.

Bucky clearly didn't understand what Tony wanted, shifting from sitting on his backside to kneeling on his knees, then when Tony continued to pull on his arm, he began to whine again. 

"It's okay," Tony soothed, taking Bucky's elbow with his other hand and pulling him to his feet. Bucky yelped as his legs straightened, attempting to fold them back up again, but Tony firmly guided him to standing. 

Once Bucky was standing straight, he stood looking down at his own feet, knees wobbling as if he'd never stood straight up before. He continued to whimper. 

"There! Good boy!" Tony preached, quickly reaching for the soap and cloth again. He scrubbed at the stubborn dirt at Bucky's knees and washed his thighs and calves, knowing he'd have to get to the embarrassing business of washing the man's genitals soon. 

"You just hold still, we're almost done!" Tony praised, rinsing the washcloth before preparing to wash Bucky's private areas. He took a deep breath and allowed himself to look at the man between his legs, taking in the state of his parts. He looked dirty but otherwise healthy. 

"Hold still and this will be quick, okay?" He said, turning to look up into Bucky's eyes as he made contact. Bucky screeched a yelp as Tony began to wash his sensitive areas and he began to quake in fear. Tony hurried to finish the job before either of them could have a breakdown. He rinsed the cloth again and squirted more soap onto it, then braced his free hand onto Bucky's lower stomach as he reached back and began to wash at the man's behind. 

Bucky outright screamed, dropping to the floor of the tub and sobbing, chest heaving. He flattened his body to the floor and thrust his ass into the air, spreading his legs wide. His eyes squeezed shut tightly and he trembled as he presented himself. 

Tony's face turned beat red and his mouth dropped open, horrified. Clearly, he was used to being used, and thinking back on what Clint had said about him being a "tight fuck", he knew that the aggressive man probably was none too kind about it. 

"No! No no no, that's not-! I wasn't!" Tony reached forward and gently took Bucky by the shoulders, urging his face off the floor of the bath. "Please, I was just going to wash you, I don't want to hurt you!" He cried. 

Bucky's eyes cracked open as he sat up on his knees, still shaking horribly. His face was pure anguish. 

Tony took the shower head in his hand again and began to gently brush the straggly hair from Bucky's face, hoping he could soothe the man with his actions. He gently rinsed the loose dirt and grime from his hair before squirting some shampoo directly onto the top of his head and massaging it in with his fingers. After a moment of gentle treatment, rinsing and starting again with fresh shampoo, Bucky began to relax. It took four washes for the man's hair to rinse clean. Tony was glad when it finally did, he was mentally drained and exhausted already. 

Finally, Tony shut off the water and grabbed a thick, fluffy towel to wrap the man in. Once again, he had to lift him out of the tub and struggle to get him to stand straight. When he finally did, he rubbed the man dry, getting as much water as he could from his hair. He then wrapped him up like a child and grabbed for an old hairbrush to set about working out all the mats in his hair. 

As soon as Bucky saw the brush, he immediately broke down into tears again, dropping to his backside and reaching to spread his legs wide, exposing his hole. He turned away and sobbed loudly but held still obediently.

"Jesus! What the fuck!" Tony cried, feeling his breakfast making its way back up. What the hell was Clint doing to this poor man?

"No!" He yelled before he could stop himself. Bucky whimpered and quickly turned onto his hands and knees, presenting himself once again. "Bucky, stop!" Tony yelled, grabbing the slight man and yanking him to his feet. 

"This is a hairbrush!" He yelled, holding it up in front of Bucky's face. He kept a firm grip on Bucky's upper arm to keep him from dropping to the floor again. Bucky sobbed loudly and tried his best to pull away. 

"Look!" Tony cried again, turning them so that he stood behind the boney man, both of them facing the mirror. He began to gently work his way through the mess on Bucky's head, combing it loose and straight while Bucky watched. 

"It's a hairbrush," Tony repeated, calmer. "It's for combing your hair. It's not for hurting Bucky, okay?" He stated, voice quieting down as he spoke. Bucky's sobs slowed to a hiccuping, hyperventilating sort of sound and his body began to tremble less. Tony did his best to make it quick, wanting to be done with this part of the care as soon as possible. 

"There. You're clean, you smell good, you look nice. Let's get you dressed."

If Tony thought the bathing process had been hard, trying to dress the man was a thousand times worse. It was like trying to put clothes on a screaming crocodile, claws and fangs included. He managed to wrestle him into a pair of his own boxers before he gave up and allowed the little brunette creature to lick his wounds on his own. 

Bucky scurried off back to the living room, attempting to retreat back into his kennel, but Tony was just a step behind him. He was able to stop him before he could leap inside, pushing the door shut and locking it. 

"No! You just had a bath, you're not getting back in this filthy thing," Tony explained. He made his way to the kitchen, feeling ravenous after his afternoon. It was nearly dinner time. "You wanna eat?" Tony asked, searching the fridge for anything he could throw together. 

Bucky whined and searched the living room for a place to hide, deciding to curl up beneath the coffee table. 

"Well, I wanna eat. I'm going to order in some Chinese, I don't feel like cooking," Tony announced, mostly to himself. He wasn't sure if Bucky would ever answer him. 

He quickly placed a call, ordering enough for the two of them and tried to decide what to do. 

For two whole weeks.

He didn't even know where Clint had gone or why. He just knew that he was stuck with this feral cat-man-child and he'd have to get used to it. He was sure they'd figure out a way to coexist, eventually. 

When the food came, the sun was beginning to get low in the sky and Tony was exhausted. Bucky hadn't moved from his terrible hiding spot under the table, thankfully. Tony didn't really want to have to explain to the food delivery man. 

"Hey, bud, food's here! Let's have some dinner." Truthfully, he wanted nothing more than to feed the man nonstop until his bones didn't show anymore, but he wasn't sure how well that would go over with _anyone_. He quickly dished up two bowls of beef and broccoli and white rice, setting them both at the table. 

Bucky finally crawled from his hiding place, creeping slowly over with all the stealth of a ninety-pound cat, and began to sniff the air hungrily. Tony could hear his stomach growling from halfway across the room. 

"Here, bud," he called, patting the chair next to him. Bucky looked in his direction, then began searching and sniffing at the floor. 

"Buddy, it's up here at the table," Tony said again, watching as Bucky began prowling the floor. Tony sighed and grabbed Bucky's bowl of food, setting it down on the floor. 

Bucky raced to it, sticking his face in it quickly, then pulling away before his lips even touched the food inside. His lip began to quiver and his eyebrows knitted up together, his eyes filling with fat tears. He looked up at Tony and began to whine pitifully. 

"What's the matter, you don't like Chinese?" Tony asked. He glanced around, seeing the strange flat bowls, and realized that perhaps the man would only eat the disgusting dry kibble that Clint had brought for him. He sighed and stood slowly, taking one of the bowls from the counter and placing it on the floor, standing to grab the bag of cat food. He slowly poured it into the bowl and watched as Bucky wasted no time devouring the food. 

It made Tony sick to his stomach to watch and Bucky was making a strange groaning sound as if he weren't actually enjoying it as he ate the kibble he gobbled.

"You should slow down, you could choke," Tony said wryly. Soon the bowl was empty and Bucky sat up on his knees, whining as he stared at the second bowl, empty on the counter. 

"Of course. No five-star meal is complete without a bowl of water to wash it down," Tony rolled his eyes as he filled the bowl with cold water from the tap. He set it on the floor and Bucky pressed his face into it just as quickly as he had the food. He slurped and licked at it noisily, draining it in a matter of minutes. When he sat up, his nose and chin dripped and water ran from the ends of his hair. Tony couldn't help but laugh at the sight as he ate his own dinner. 

Bucky smiled a bit, then crawled forward, timidly rubbing his cheek against Tony's thigh, a strange purring, groaning sort of noise rolling from his chest. Tony looked down at him quietly and his gaze softened. He reached forward and tenderly threaded his fingers in Bucky's now soft hair, scratching his scalp in a way that could be described as affectionate.

The man looked up at him and his icy blue eyes were no longer scared, soft lidded and appreciative instead. A tiny smile played on his full carmine lips. 

He looked happier and a substantial amount cleaner, but his hair was still too long; his face in need of a good shave and a few more pounds. His whole skeleton seemed to be trying to leap from his skin the way it jutted out, and his spine seemed like it was worn into a sloping curve from being hunched over for who knew how long. Tony could see remnants of old bruises on his face and traces of a healing split in his lip stood out as well.

Tony sighed and leaned back in his chair, letting his fingers disentangle themselves from Bucky's hair. He ran the backs of his fingers down the creature's face and they came to rest cradling his chin in his hand. 

"Very pretty kitty," Tony murmured, mostly to himself. Bucky just looked up at Tony adoringly. 

Later that evening, Tony lay on his couch flipping slowly through the channels aimlessly while Bucky lay on the floor below him. Tony had been listening to Bucky's stomach gurgling unpleasantly and soft whines and whimpers rattled in Bucky's chest. He figured it was probably from the disgusting kibble that James had called dinner and the inhuman speed at which he'd eaten it. He reached down and began to stroke Bucky's stomach gently before he could think about the action, and Bucky seemed to enjoy the kind touch. 

Before either of them could get too comfortable, Bucky sat up and quickly scrabbled across the floor to the long, sliding glass door that lead to the back yard. He pawed at it and whined, looking at Tony hopefully.

"Gotta go to the bathroom?" Tony asked, sitting up a bit. Bucky whined more excitedly, pointing his nose to where the handle was.

"You can just go to the bathroom, pal, you don't have to go outside," Tony tried, pointing down the hall. Bucky only whined and paced in front of the door, stopping to look up at the handle again. 

"Okay," Tony groaned, scrubbing his hand over his face and sitting up. He quietly thanked his lucky stars that his fence was tall and no nebby neighbors would see a nearly naked grown man urinating in his grass. He quickly crossed the room and flipped the outside light on, unlocking the door and sliding it open. 

Bucky rushed outside, snuffling in the grass as he searched for a good spot to relieve himself. Tony didn't want to watch exactly but…he just couldn't look away. Was he really going to just _pee in the yard?_

Bucky seemed to find a suitable spot and squatted down, pushing his knees far apart and his pelvis forward. Suddenly, he looked down at himself and let out a nervous little sound, eyes quickly darting to where Tony stood. He looked scared again and Tony squinted his eyes to try to figure out why. 

Bucky began frantically rubbing at the underwear that Tony had wrestled him into, whining pitifully as he did. Before Tony could even think to move, Bucky couldn't hold it anymore. His bladder released and his face turned to horror, gaze flashing back to Tony.

His chest heaved as his breath hitched on a single sob and his hands flew to cover his mouth as hot tears rolled down his cheeks. He did his best to stifle his wet sobs as he couldn't help but finish relieving himself through the article of cotton, dripping messily down his thighs to the ground. As soon as he finished, he began backing himself into the corner of the yard as quickly as he could. 

He turned and buried his face against the tall slabs of wood that made up the fence and he folded his body as small as possible to try to hide away from Tony's sight. Even from across the yard, Tony could see the way Bucky trembled. 

"Hey, buddy it's okay! Come inside, it's okay!" Tony called quietly, not wanting to get the neighbor's attention. He quickly stepped outside and headed for the corner where Bucky cowered. "Buck? Come on buddy, let's get inside and get you cleaned up," Tony coaxed, gently touching the back of Bucky's head. The long-haired brunette jumped violently at Tony's touch, sobbing loudly as his hands moved from over his mouth to cross over his head reflexively.

"Hey! I'm not going to hurt you! We can get you cleaned up, it's okay!" Tony soothed, kneeling down to Bucky's level. The boney man peered timidly from between his arms, clearly waiting for the other shoe to drop. The strong stench of urine was rolling off him in waves and Tony had to force down a gag when it hit him.

"Dude, you need to drink water more often!" He exclaimed, standing back up. "Come on, let's get back in the bath," he said, holding his hand out to the man as he turned, waiting for him to follow.

"Come on," he coaxed as he slowly made his way to the door again. He could hear the soft sounds of Bucky creeping through the grass and knew he was cautiously following behind. The floor was going to be a little extra gross from the door to the bathroom after this, but he'd just have to pay the cleaner a bigger tip the next time they came. He'd learned his lesson on the clothes, at least for now, but he couldn't leave the man to roam naked forever.

He lead the way back to the bathroom and Bucky followed close behind. This time, when Tony told him to get in the tub, he did his best to climb over the high side. Tony quickly turned the water on and began hosing Bucky's lower body as soon as it ran warm. He didn't bother trying to remove the soaked boxers until he was satisfied that the urine had been rinsed clean. After a short struggle of getting Bucky to sit down and lift his hips to remove the boxers, Tony threw them to the back of the tub and rinsed Bucky a final time before he shut off the water.

"Alright, dude. I'm exhausted. Let's get you dried off and then, I'm going to bed," Tony announced as he grabbed for another clean towel. He took Bucky by the elbows and assisted him out of the tub before wrapping him in the towel once more. Bucky had been silent since they'd left the back yard but now he began to whine very softly again. 

"What's the matter bud? You're all clean now," Tony asked softly, looking up at him from where he knelt drying the man's legs. Bucky just continued to whine, legs shaking as he stood. As soon as Tony finished, Bucky sank down to the floor, knees bending and folding until he crouched in his strange animal position. Tony couldn't help but scratch his head again, ruffling his hair. 

"It's bedtime, bud. You ready?"

Bucky seemed to finally have realized that Tony was talking to him when he spoke and his crystal blue eyes watched Tony's lips as they moved. He gave a strange little nod in response and Tony smiled despite all of the things that had gone wrong. 

He was definitely a little wary about bedtime after the things that Clint had said about Bucky. How he could "get a little crazy" and sometimes needed to be muzzled. He'd said something about the little creature being needy at night and Tony could only guess what that could actually mean, but there was no way he was going to crate him overnight. Truthfully, he wanted to break the cage down and never look at it again. He couldn't do that to a person. 

He stood and lead the way to his bedroom, being sure that Bucky was following, and began to strip off his clothes. Typically, he'd have been shy or embarrassed about being naked in front of a stranger, but really it just felt like getting changed in front of a new pet. Which was strange in itself. And it wasn't like Tony hadn't seen every part of the nude man at this point. It was almost like returning the favor. 

Bucky's eyes grew wide as he watched Tony shucking off his pants, following his shirt and he crawled to the end of the bed, lifting himself up and laying his belly flat across it. He thrust his ass out in the air and watched Tony remove the rest of his clothes. 

When Tony turned around and realized what Bucky was doing, he felt almost guilty, though he knew he had no part in conditioning the man to react this way. 

"No, buddy, I'm getting my pajamas on. You don't have to do that," he said softly, quickly retrieving clean clothes and dressing again. "Would you like some pajamas?" He asked, sitting on the edge of the bed a foot away from where Bucky's head rested. The brunette let loose a whine that turned into a bit of a growl on the end and Tony chuckled. 

"Alright. It's time to go to sleep then." He turned and crawled up to the head of the bed, pulling the comforter down and climbing in. He looked down at where Bucky still lay and patted the mattress beside him. Nevermind that Bucky was a total stranger, Tony was willing to lay beside him. 

Bucky lifted his head up and watched Tony pat the bed, then slowly slid down to the floor until Tony couldn't see him anymore. Tony laughed and shook his head. The man could sleep on the carpet if he wanted. 

"Good night, kitty," Tony called with a smile, reaching and turning out his lamp. "See you in the morning."

Tony woke in the middle of the night. It was completely dark and his bedside clock read 2:25 am. He groaned and huffed, not quite sure what had woken him. It didn't take long to figure it out. 

He could feel the warmth of another body beneath the covers with him and he knew it was Bucky. He focused all of his attention on figuring out what he was doing. He could hear the man whining low and grunting, breathing heavily as he-

"Hey! Stop humping my leg! What the hell are you doing?!" Tony cried as he threw back the blanket. He looked down at the scrawny man and saw that he was holding tightly to Tony's waist as he thrust hard against his leg. His naked cock rolled and pressed against Tony's knee and Tony wished he didn't know that he was definitely a grower, not a shower. 

"Holy shit!" He cried, taking in the length of his erection, before looking to the man's face. He looked humiliated, or almost pained. His eyes shone in the dark with fat tears and his mouth turned down so drastically that it could have been comical in another situation. Tony could see how red his face was even in the very dim light of his bedroom. 

"Bucky, stop that now!" He commanded, shoving him away. Bucky whimpered and lay on his back, spreading his legs wide.

"D-d…" the man stuttered, catching Tony off guard and making him jump. "Daddy…" his voice was hoarse from not being used and it had a strange underwater quality to it. "Playtime?" He asked, drawing the words out long and slow, like they were uncomfortable to force out. 

"Wh…what?! Daddy playtime?!" Tony repeated, trying to make sense of the situation in his still partially asleep brain. He was having a hard time wrapping his head around the fact that Bucky could speak. 

Tony growled a sigh and reached for his cellphone on his nightstand, middle of the night be damned. He punched Clint's number and waited for the man to answer.

The receiver connected on the seventh ring.  
"Hello?" Clint's groggy voice answered

"What the hell is daddy playtime?!" Tony barked into the phone. He heard Clint chuckle quietly and the sounds of blankets shuffling could be heard in the background. 

"Uh, well, daddy likes to go out. Like to the bar. That's me, I'm daddy," his words were slurred with sleep. "When I come home, I usually like to get my rocks off. That's where Bucky comes in. He's just used to the routine," he answered as if what he was saying was completely normal. 

"So you come home drunk every night and fuck him, so now he needs a nightly orgasm?! Thanks for the warning, I really appreciate it," Tony bit sarcastically, looking back at where Bucky lay squirming on the mattress. His hard cock was leaking and twitching against his stomach. 

"Hey, I told you to cage him at night. He still gets horny but you can't really hear him cry if you put his muzzle on."

"Unbelievable. So what the hell am I supposed to do?" Tony asked angrily. 

"Fuck him. Until he comes or until he cries, whatever."

"And if I don't _want_ to fuck him?!"

"Cage him. Or help him get off. It's really up to you. Listen, I have to be up early, as thrilling as this conversation is. I gotta hop off." Clint hung up before Tony could even respond, his mind reeling with images of Clint fucking this poor man until he broke down into tears. He dropped his phone onto his bed and sighed, looking back to Bucky. His options were rather limited.

There was no way in hell that he was going to have sex with this man. He felt like he'd break one of the poor man's bones even thinking about it. And he was absolutely not going to banish him to a cage for the night, he didn't need punishment for something so incredibly normal. That really only left one option if he wanted to get any more sleep that night. 

"Alright, bud. We're not going to make this a habit," he grumbled, reaching to grip his bony hips. He slid the man closer and turned him around so that his head was resting below Tony's pillow. He squeaked a few times as Tony moved him, unsure whether to be scared or not. 

Tony quickly leaned down to grab his discarded t-shirt from earlier and he flopped down next to Bucky.

"D-daddy…play?" Bucky whispered in his strange, unused voice. 

"No, buddy."

Bucky whimpered and whined, squirming on the bed again. He clearly was in need of release. 

"Daddy's going to help Bucky. I mean, Tony! I'm going to help you," Tony grumbled groggily. He sidled up beside the tiny man, turning him on his side and wrapping his arms around him. 

"Is this okay?" Tony asked, slowly trailing his hand down Bucky's bare stomach. He didn't respond, trembling slightly, but he didn't try to move away. 

Tony sighed and reached gingerly down to Bucky's manhood, letting his fingers trace down the shaft gently. Bucky gasped loudly and turned his head quickly to look back at Tony with owlish eyes. 

"Is this alright?" Tony asked again. The man didn't answer but swallowed thickly, letting his eyes look down at Tony's hand.

"Daddy….hurt...Bucky?" He forced out in a pitiful whine. 

"No! No no, daddy help Bucky." He let his fingers circle loosely around Bucky's shaft and gave a gentle tug experimentally. Bucky gasped again and let out a grunt, jerking against Tony. He couldn't help but wonder if the man was ever given any pleasure, rather than pain. He slowly tightened his grip, pumping the man's long shaft slowly. 

Bucky let out a few more grunts followed by a sound of pure pleasure and Tony felt his body relax. 

"Let's make this quick, okay buddy? Does that feel good?" He asked. 

"G-good! G-good!" Bucky gasped, jerking his hips into Tony's hand. Tony went to work, stroking Bucky's cock faster and harder, working to help the man toward his release. 

A few minutes went by and Bucky was writhing and moaning with abandon, loving the way Tony stroked him and all too soon, Tony knew he was ready to blow his load. He quickly grabbed his t-shirt, placing it below Bucky's hip to catch the mess. He moved his hand higher and squeezed at Bucky's head, working the ultra-sensitive nerves there and Bucky shouted out as he came, spurting hot over Tony's hand. Tony pumped Bucky's shaft a few times, working through the man's orgasm and only stopped when his hips began to quake with overstimulation. He grabbed the t-shirt and gently cleaned off Bucky's cock, then his own hand and he threw the shirt to the floor. 

Before Bucky could slink away, Tony wrapped his arm around the man's thin chest and pulled his body into himself, holding him tightly. He could feel the man's heart beating hard against his ribcage and his breathing was escalated, beginning to slow. 

"Good night," Tony murmured softly against Bucky's hair, falling back into sleep almost immediately. Before he could fully fall asleep, he heard Bucky laugh happily and he could practically feel the happiness radiating off him. His thin fingers shyly reached up and gripped onto Tony's wrist, holding him back. 

Bucky didn't wake again until the morning. When Tony woke, he pretended his morning wood wasn't pressing into the man's hip.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "You wanna eat?" He suggested. Bucky seemed to be thinking about the question, Tony could see the wheels in his head turning. He pinched his fingers together and signed the word "eat" as he said it again and Bucky slowly mimicked the motion. 
> 
> "Yeah!" Tony praised with a smile. "Let's go eat breakfast!" 
> 
> Bucky thought about what Tony said and repeated the motion, forcing out a sound between tightly closed lips. 
> 
> "Yep, mmm," Tony repeated, standing and stretching slowly so he wouldn't scare the man.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've decided to continue this story after all. It's been staying in my head lately and fleshing itself out. I thought I might as well write it.
> 
> Of course, I suck at any kind of slow burn and need instant gratification, so smut with feeling it is.  
> I hope you enjoy!

Tony woke with his arms wrapped tightly around Bucky's bony frame and an erection, unlike any kind he'd had in a while. He groaned and adjusted himself in his pants so that he wasn't stabbing the naked man he was wrapped around, then took a deep breath and allowed himself to wake up a bit. It was a little after nine, later than he usually slept, and he had to pee something awful, but he wasn't willing to try to stand, lest he wake the little creature he held onto. He smiled a little to himself. 

Sure, it was strange. There was a naked man in his bed that he had no intention of sleeping with, who barely spoke and believed himself to be some sort of animal. A man who clearly underwent sexual abuse regularly, even admitted to by the man who was supposed to be his caretaker. A man that refused to eat anything but low-rate cat food and weighed barely anything. 

Yeah, it was definitely strange. 

Still, Tony felt glad to have the man in his home, even after only one night. He had the overwhelming urge to feed and pamper the man, to show him what true affection could be like. 

But he had so many questions. 

What happened to this man? Why was he so frail? Why wouldn't he eat real food? Why didn't Clint take care of him properly? And how did Clint end up in charge of his care in the first place? How long had Bucky believed he was a creature? And what had been done to him to break him? Could he be fixed? Why did he sound like he might be deaf? Why did his speech, as limited as it was, sound like a child? Did he ever know love or kindness? 

Tony sighed as he rolled all the questions around in his head, quickly growing frustrated. What if Bucky never answered his questions? What if they ran out of time before Clint came back to collect? 

Did Tony _want_ Clint to collect? Surely he couldn't keep Bucky with him, he had to go home, right?

Before Tony's stomach could begin to churn with his anxiety, Bucky let out a sigh in his sleep and caught Tony's attention. He looked down at the man and felt an unexpected warmth growing in his chest. 

His color looked a bit better, though he was still so deathly pale. The dark circles under his eyes had started to lighten, most likely just from spending a night in a real bed, getting real sleep. Tony carefully combed loose strands of hair back from over his face with his fingers and smiled as he looked at the man. He really was a pretty little thing. Tony couldn't help but want to shave him though. His facial hair was long and patchy and scraggly, like a teenaged boy that never shaved his first bead, letting it grow long instead. 

Tony was lost in his thought, examining the way Bucky's bones jutted from his flesh at the joints and the scars that seemed to litter his skin when Bucky slowly rolled toward him and gradually fluttered his eyes open. 

Tony could feel his own eyes open wide as he watched Bucky's open. They were so crystal blue and beautiful in the golden morning light and his thick black lashes fanned across his cheekbones as he blinked. 

How beautiful. 

"Good morning, buddy. Did you sleep well?" Tony asked softly. Bucky didn't answer, fear creeping into his features as he quickly began searching the room, most likely for Clint. He began clawing at the fluffy comforter, pushing it off of himself as he sat up frantically. 

"Hey! It's okay buddy!" Tony tried, touching Bucky's arm softly with his hand. Bucky yipped nervously and began to clamber for the edge of the bed, falling onto the floor before he could stand. 

"Uhngh!" He cried, cowering low to the carpet. 

"Bucky, it's okay!" Tony called again, leaning over the edge of the bed to see him. "Can you hear me Bucky?" He called again louder when he got no response. The second time Tony called his name, Bucky's eyes whipped to meet Tony's, wide and scared. 

"Clint's not here, bud. It's okay. Nobody's going to hurt you."

They sat looking at each other for a moment while Bucky regained his breath before Tony broke the quiet. 

"You wanna eat?" He suggested. Bucky seemed to be thinking about the question, Tony could see the wheels in his head turning. He pinched his fingers together and signed the word "eat" as he said it again and Bucky slowly mimicked the motion. 

"Yeah!" Tony praised with a smile. "Let's go eat breakfast!" 

Bucky thought about what Tony said and repeated the motion, forcing out a sound between tightly closed lips. 

"Yep, mmm," Tony repeated, standing and stretching slowly so he wouldn't scare the man. "I have to go to the bathroom first, then I'll cook us some really good stuff, okay?" He slowly made his way for the bathroom, watching from the corner of his eye to see if Bucky would follow; if he'd understood. 

He left the door open behind him and stood to pee, glancing over his shoulder. Bucky watched him curiously. 

"I'm going to the bathroom," he said as he finished up. "Do you have to go to the bathroom?" 

Bucky let out a little yap and danced a little on his hands and knees in the doorway. Tony lowered the lid and flushed. 

"Come here," he called, wanting to try to get the man to use the toilet. Bucky cautiously entered the bathroom, snuffling at the tub as he came to crouch beside it. 

"No, not bath time, potty time." Tony wasn't sure when he'd become a middle-aged dad to a feral beast but he was okay with it at the moment. Bucky crept forward a bit more, not quite understanding what was going on. Tony held his hand out to help him stand and pulled him to his feet. Bucky only resisted a bit, but he still whined quietly in his throat. 

"It's okay. You're going to learn a new trick today. Sit," he said, taking Bucky's pelvis in his hands and guiding him down on the seat. Bucky's whining got louder and he looked up at Tony with scared eyes, but still did as he was told. 

"This is where you go potty, okay?" He asked, bending down a bit to look him in the eyes. Bucky groaned and didn't respond. 

Tony took a step back and sat on the edge of the tub, facing Bucky, and waited patiently. He'd never potty trained a child before but he figured it would be something like this. Waiting until something happened. Bucky squirmed a bit, not understanding what he was meant to be doing and finally, he couldn't hold his bladder any longer. 

He let out a high pitched whine and looked at Tony with teary eyes as he lost control, but Tony just beamed proudly at him. 

"Yes! Good job!" He cheered happily. Bucky's frightened face turned slowly into a tiny, shy smile and he laughed a bit, a low chortling sort of sound. 

"You did it, that was great! Now if we could just do that from now on…" Tony joked as he stood. "C'mon, flush and let's go have breakfast," he instructed, watching the man climb awkwardly off the seat. He pointed out the handle again and watched as Bucky successfully flushed it himself. Tony was feeling just a bit proud of himself. 

He turned and lead the way to the kitchen, quickly washing his hands before beginning anything. Bucky had already sunk back to his knees and was leaning up on his haunches, whimpering as he stared at the bag of cat food on the counter. 

"Yeah, why don't we have some real food today, hmm? I don't think your tummy really likes that stuff."

Bucky whined pitifully, thrusting his bottom lip out in a pout as he pawed at the top of the counter. Tony chuckled and pulled the carton of eggs from the refrigerator as well as some already cut vegetables and set them on the counter near where Bucky sulked and begged. 

"I'm making sunny side up and some toast. Maybe some fruit, what do you think?" He asked, pulling a pan from a shelf and not expecting an answer. 

He cut a pat of butter from the dish and scraped it into the pan, turning the burner on medium heat and tossing in the fresh vegetables. Once they had begun to soften, Tony cracked the eggs into the pan and put a lid on top. He then slid a few pieces of bread into the toaster and sat back for a minute, crossing his arms as he leaned against the stove and looked back to Bucky. 

"I'll make you a plate, bud. You're going to eat with me," he announced, though Bucky still mournfully whined at the bag of kibble. 

After just a few minutes, everything was ready and Tony plated it, setting them both on the table. 

"Come sit in the chair, Buck. It's all set." Tony moved to take Bucky's hand to lead him to the table but the man snatched it back quickly. He turned and scowled at Tony, obstinately kneeling in place. He pointed at the bag of dry pet food on the counter with his nose again, then pointedly looked back at Tony with a frown. 

"Uh, okay but buddy," Tony sighed exasperatedly. "Wouldn't you rather have what I cooked? Doesn't it smell good?"

Bucky whined and let out a little yip, not moving from his spot. Tony quickly grabbed the plate from the table and held it in front of Bucky.

"Doesn't that look better than your… _that_?" He asked, growing frustrated. Bucky's eyes went wide and round as he stared at the plate and Tony could hear his stomach grumble. 

"Let's eat this, okay?" He said again, setting the plate back down and holding his hands out to help Bucky up off his knees. Bucky let out a yelp and crouched down to the floor, hiding his face as far between his knees as he could. 

"Fine," Tony snapped, grabbing the bag off the counter and dumping some into his dish on the floor. Bucky waited until Tony had sat down at the table and turned his back before he unfolded himself and slowly reached his hand into the bowl. He grabbed a few pieces and began to chew them one by one as he grumbled quietly, watching Tony the whole time.

Tony pretended to ignore him but he was annoyed. He knew the man _wanted_ the food he'd made, he just couldn't figure out why he refused it. He glanced over his shoulder and saw Bucky sitting beside his bowl, staring into space and yet still in his direction, popping brown bits into his mouth in a rhythmic manner. He let out the odd grumble every now and then. 

Tony sighed as he finished his meal, deciding that he couldn't be too mad at the man. He clearly needed a bit of help to be human. He stood and placed his plate in the sink and decided to try to help the man…somehow. 

He quickly picked up Bucky's empty water dish and filled it while he was at the sink, then decided to go get dressed. 

"I'll be right back," he stated, absently massaging Bucky's head quickly before leaving for his bedroom. He smiled a little when he heard Bucky's near-silent steps following a beat behind. 

He quickly pulled on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt, looking back at where Bucky perched quietly in the doorway before he had an idea. He grabbed an old, oversized shirt from his drawer and decided to attempt to dress Bucky once again, just the other half this time. 

"Bucky, come here please," he called softly, wanting the man to come to him, instead of having to chase him around the house. Bucky's head lowered and he timidly stepped into the room, making his way to Tony. 

Tony crouched down and held the shirt out to Bucky, before looping the neck seam over his head. He stiffened up but kept still. Tony took Bucky's arms, one at a time, and pulled them through the arms of the t-shirt, then pulled it down over Bucky. It slid down until it covered his rear end, looking almost like a short dress and Tony smiled wide. 

"Look at you!" He said, looping his fingers under Bucky's hair and pulling it out of the shirt collar. "Much less distracting!" He joked. Bucky looked down at himself, but he didn't seem to hate it as much as he'd hated wearing the boxers. Tony just hated that his knobby spine still stood out clearly. 

"What do you think, buddy?" He asked, gently lifting the man's chin with his fingers. Bucky looked at Tony with wide eyes, then began to rub his face against the hand that held him, shutting his eyes and pressing against him. 

Tony chuckled, taking Bucky's hands in his own and slowly guiding him to his feet. Bucky whimpered nearly silently, but he wasn't as scared this time around. He looked almost ridiculous with the baggy shirt draping over him like a child in his father's clothes. 

"You want a little affection?" Tony murmured, mostly to himself. He unhurriedly circled his arms around Bucky's chest and ever so slowly he tightened his grip until he was holding the man against his own chest. He threaded one hand into the hair at the back of his head and the other held him tightly. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath in, rocking them gently. 

Bucky needed the tenderness, but Tony wanted it too. It was nice to hold someone again. It had been a while since he'd split with his ex-wife, Pepper and people had stopped coming around. He was used to being lonely, so unexpected pet sitting was actually kind of nice. 

"How about we have a lazy day and snuggle on the couch?" Tony suggested. Bucky slowly lifted his arms and rested them on Tony's waist, nuzzling his face into the man's neck. 

He'd be lying if he said he didn't enjoy helping Bucky reach his release the night before, too. He just wasn't about to admit it to anyone, leastwise himself. For now, he was just going to focus on polishing the rough edges on the man and shining him up nice. 

He eventually pulled away from the embrace and guided Bucky down the hall to the living room, grabbing the remote from the coffee table and laying back on the couch. Bucky began to kneel down and settle on the floor but Tony hurried to stop him. 

"Wait wait wait! Come up here with me!" He said, patting his chest lightly in invitation. Bucky awkwardly climbed back to his feet, then looked over Tony as he lay, deciding what to do.

"It's okay, buddy, come up here with me," Tony coaxed again. Bucky turned and swung a leg over Tony's body, straddling him but backward. He adjusted his position before Tony could say anything, sitting directly on the man's crotch and bringing his knees up high, toes pointed into the couch. He began to rock and circle his hips, grinding against Tony's quickly hardening cock.

"Honey!" Tony shrieked out a gasp, gripping the man's hips, torn between letting him continue and stopping him. The little sex kitten was really testing Tony's limits as a man. "What are you doing?!" He cried, face growing red. He couldn't help staring at the man's ass where it sat on top of his hard manhood, covered by the loose t-shirt, knowing that it was bare underneath. 

Bucky quickly looked over his shoulder at Tony and whispered, "daddy…playtime?" He ground his hips down hard and Tony nearly saw white. 

"Ngh! No! No, movie time!" He panted, averting his gaze to the ceiling and trying to think about anything else. "Compost, mailmen, plumbing, jury duty…" Tony muttered to himself. 

"Bucky...bad?" Bucky asked timidly. 

"No, honey, but…you don't have to do that, it's okay. Let's just watch a movie, okay?" Tony suggested, eyes still on the ceiling. 

"Okay…" Bucky repeated, unsure of what to do. Tony reached forward and gripped Bucky's hips, pulling him into a laying position and turning him over so that his face lay against his chest. The tiny man offered no resistance, but his own hard-on was now pressing against Tony's hip, and he was having a hard time concentrating. 

He clicked open a streaming app and began to flip idly through the selections, his mind elsewhere. 

"Peach?" Bucky asked suddenly, his voice sweet and soft. Tony glanced at him, then turned to see what had caught his attention. 

"James and the Giant Peach, huh? Sure, we can watch that if you want," Tony smiled, pressing start. Bucky happily wiggled on top of Tony and he groaned at the pressure it caused against his crotch. He could feel his face heating up but he refused to acknowledge it to Bucky or to himself. 

They made it about a half-hour into the movie before Tony couldn't handle the distraction anymore. He was a good guy but he'd also been alone for a long time, and Bucky was whimpering softly and grinding against his hip absently as he watched the movie. He'd tried repositioning Bucky a few times but it didn't seem to matter _where_ Bucky was wiggling. It still made him think about the man's hard cock rubbing against him through nothing but a thin t-shirt. It reminded him that Bucky didn't have any underwear on. It made him think about how long Bucky had grown in his lustful state, how much bigger than any other time. 

It made him feel guilty to have these thoughts.

Did he just want Bucky because he was a warm body and it had been a long time? Was it because he was so willing? Or because Clint had planted seeds in his head of how good he was? 

He really was a pretty man, but what if he wasn't actually capable of _consenting_? What if doing anything with him sexually was wrong? And wouldn't that make him just like Clint? Just as abusive and selfish? 

But, the man was an adult, and he seemed perfectly content to climb into Tony's lap and give him the reverse cowgirl treatment just a few minutes ago. 

And Tony could do it _right_. 

He could show Bucky what he'd been missing. 

"Fuck," Tony muttered. "Hey, Buck?" He called softly. The man lifted his head and looked at Tony with half-lidded icy blue eyes and his mouth parted, looking fairly content.

"Do you, uh…do you _like_ daddy playtime?"

Bucky's eyes opened a bit more and Tony could see him thinking behind them. He smiled and nodded, then quickly dropped the smile and his eyes drifted. He quickly shook his head no twice, before seemingly reconsidering and shaking his head yes again. 

"Sometimes?" Tony suggested.

Bucky's lips turned up into a small smile as he looked back at Tony. 

"Okay. Well…do you…do you _want_ to play?"

Bucky's grin grew wider and he hurried to push himself into a sitting position, swinging around so that he faced away from Tony.

He let out a low giggle from his chest and rocked against Tony excitedly, peeking over his shoulder back at the man. 

A moan broke free from Tony's own chest and he gripped Bucky's boney hips, pulling him down against himself as he pressed his hips up into the smaller man.

Bucky gave a little peep and jerked, grabbing Tony's hands. 

"Oh, I'm sorry honey, my zipper probably hurt you, huh?" Tony panted, eyes closed and holding both of them motionless. After he was able to pull himself back under control, he gently pushed Bucky off his lap, pulling himself to a sitting position. 

Bucky whined but didn't move away from where Tony had pushed him, his legs spread wide and half bent over the end of the couch. 

Tony hurried to adjust himself, carefully flipping the hem of Bucky's shirt up to expose his skin and he sighed with a smile. He lightly ran his fingertips from Bucky's thighs, up the curve of his ass and to his lower back, resting his hand there. 

"Why do you keep turning away from me?" Tony murmured softly as he pressed a gentle kiss to the base of his spine. 

Bucky shivered and looked back at Tony. Tony leaned up and asked again, "Why won't you look at me?" 

Bucky's eyes looked sad and far away as he answered, "Bucky dog ugly. Bucky dis… _disgusting_. Don't look at me, Bucky, make me sick." His eyes filled with tears and he turned away quickly, covering his head with his arms. 

Tony's stomach turned and he knew the man was repeating abuse that had been hurled at him in the past. He felt his heart being crushed in his chest. 

"Honey, no!" Tony gasped, horrified. He gently gripped Bucky's sides and urged him to lay on his back, laying gently over top of him. "Babe, you are far from ugly, and if anyone is disgusting, it's Clint. You're…" Tony looked Bucky over with loving eyes and sighed. "You're perfect. You have these beautiful blue eyes and this perfect nose. Your lips are the perfect shade of red and they're big and kissable." Tony ran the pad of his finger gently across Bucky's lips as he spoke about them and Bucky blushed. "You're such a good boy, Buck."

Bucky smiled but Tony could tell by the way he squirmed that he was uncomfortable with the attention that was being poured on him. 

"Daddy…playtime?" Bucky asked again. Tony chuckled at the way the man changed the subject. 

"How about Daddy _and Bucky_ playtime?" Tony suggested, leaning forward and placing a loud, wet kiss against Bucky's exposed collar bone. 

Bucky shivered and giggled, beginning to wiggle happily beneath Tony. "O-okay," he chittered nervously.

Tony hummed and began to kiss Bucky unhurriedly, against his jawbone, down his neck, and onto his chest. He slid his hands beneath Bucky's shirt and slid it up painfully slowly, not wanting to push the man past his comforts. When it was finally pushed up past his nipples, Tony pulled back and looked down at Bucky. 

It hurt Tony to see Bucky's ribs and hips jutting out so sharply, but he wasn't about to let him see the discomfort on his face and mistake it for disgust. Instead, he tenderly kissed them, touching and loving every inch of skin he could get to, making Bucky's head spin with endorphins. 

He glanced up to Bucky's face to check on him and saw that his eyes were shut tightly in pleasure, his mouth hung open in a silent moan. His chest rose and fell rapidly and his hands clutched at the couch above him. His knees lifted to squeeze Tony between them and his hips pressed against him, smearing pre-come across the bottom of Tony's shirt.

"Does that feel good, baby?" Tony asked, genuinely wanting to care for the man and avoid anything he might consider unpleasant.

"Good, daddy, good!" Bucky practically yelled, eyes still shut tightly. 

"Does Clint do this for you? Make you feel good?" He asked between kisses and caresses.

"No, daddy." Bucky shook his head. "Please more?" He asked sweetly. 

Tony smiled and leisurely kissed a trail down Bucky's concave stomach, stopping to suck gently at his bellybutton. He felt Bucky's hard cock twitch and smack him softly against his chest and he decided to take things to the next level. 

Slowly he leaned down and placed a whisper-soft kiss against Bucky's hard shaft, delighting in the high pitched whine he received in return. He flattened his tongue and licked a slow, broad stripe all the way from the root of his cock to the very tip, sucking the head between his lips gently and licking away the salty pre-come that dripped there. 

Bucky screeched and nearly climbed from his skin at the feeling, his eyes flying open wide and his hands reaching down to clutch at the couch beside his hips. Tony reached over and gripped Bucky's thin hands, guiding them to his hair.

Bucky wasted no time clenching his fingers tightly, pulling harshly at Tony's hair. Tony pulled his mouth away immediately, turning to look up at Bucky.

"Hey, you can pull but you have to be nice, okay? We're going to take care of each other, make each other feel good, okay?" Tony informed the smaller man. Bucky nodded in agreement frantically and loosened his grip immediately.

Tony wrapped his lips around the head of Bucky's cock again and suckled gently, slowly taking more and more as he sucked harder and faster. Bucky's hips twitched and wriggled as he struggled to hold still and Tony closed his eyes, preparing to take his full length down his throat. 

He pulled off one more time to the tip, then slowly he sank down until his nose was buried in the soft brown hairs at Bucky's pelvis. Bucky choked out a sob and his body began to spasm with an overload of pleasure, tears falling from the corners of his eyes. 

Tony moaned and gave him the best treatment he possibly could, wanting to wash the man in pleasure in a way he likely never had been before. He tightened his throat around Bucky's length and Bucky couldn't help but come. He gasped nearly silently and Tony could taste and feel his hot spunk shooting into his throat.

As soon as Bucky's body fell lax and his breathing heavy, Tony pulled off and reached for an old glass of water that sat on his coffee table, spitting Bucky's load inside. 

"Was that good, baby?" He asked, voice a bit hoarse. 

"Y-yes!" Bucky cried, sobbing beneath Tony.

Tony leaned up and cupped his hand against Bucky's cheek, gently stroking his thumb against his skin to brush away the tears.

"You sure you're okay?" He asked gently. Bucky nodded and smiled, though tears still fell down his cheeks. 

"More Daddy? Please, Bucky make Daddy feel good?" He asked. Tony nodded, ready for some pleasure of his own. His cock pressed against the zipper of his jeans painfully and a wet spot was growing on the fabric. 

He quickly pulled his shirt over his head and watched Bucky's eyes greedily roam across his skin. After a moment, Bucky reached for Tony's pants, pawing at the fabric fruitlessly. Tony chuckled and unfastened them, reaching in to cup his own hard dick through his boxers, squeezing gently to relieve some of the pressure.

Bucky groaned a little sound of impatience and Tony quickly removed the offending article, feeling more naked in his boxers now than he had completely nude the night before. Bucky's eyes roamed Tony's body hungrily and Tony felt a touch of unease dancing up his spine again.

Was this really right? Was he a horrible person for wanting to have sex with someone that wasn't even potty trained? Was this like having sex with a child in an adult body?

Tony sat back a bit as he thought it over and Bucky began to grow impatient, wiggling and groaning. 

"Fuck me, Daddy. It's okay," he said quietly. Tony's eyes went wide and he scanned Bucky's face suspiciously as if he were somehow tricking him. He was barely used to the man speaking, let alone so plainly vulgar.

But he couldn't have been. He _really was_ filthy and bruised and terrified and malnourished when he'd come in the door the day before.

"S'okay. Daddy Clint fucks me all the time."

Tony looked over Bucky's body once again, this time noticing the smattering of bruises that littered his flesh and the cuts and bruises, old and new, that marred him. He could be _better_ than Clint.

Bucky blinked a few times and his eyes seemed to go wide again, looking up through his lashes. "Daddy Clint hurts me. You gonna hurt me?"

"No! No, I…I want to make you feel good," Tony replied, feeling a rush of protectiveness wash over him. Bucky smiled and spread his legs wider, inviting Tony in. Finally, Tony couldn't debate any longer. He needed it just as bad as Bucky seemed to want it. That would have to be good enough for now. 

He reached for a half-empty bottle of lube that was hidden in a drawer in his coffee table and he quickly popped the lid, pouring some into his hand. 

He pressed his fingers to Bucky's hole and began massaging and pressing inside, maybe a bit faster than he should. Bucky didn't seem to mind, pressing back against his fingers and moaning wantonly. Tony forced his first two fingers inside, breaching Bucky quickly and beginning to work them in and out fast. 

Bucky's pupils were blown with lust, watching Tony's every move. 

"Baby, are you ready? Daddy can't wait much longer," Tony panted, feeling his body tremble as he watched his shiny fingers disappearing inside of Bucky's body. 

"Daddy fuck me!" Bucky cried. Tony pulled his boxers down, freeing his leaking cock into the air and quickly lined himself up with Bucky's partially stretched hole. 

"Should I get you ready better or-" he was cut off when Bucky thrust his hips down against Tony, impaling himself hard on Tony's cock. They both let out a yelp and Tony held Bucky's hips tightly, blinking away the stars in his vision. 

After a charged moment of silence and shared heavy breathing, Tony finally began to slowly move his hips, thrusting in deeper. Bucky clenched so tightly that it almost hurt Tony, he knew it had to be hurting the smaller man too. 

"Should I stop?" Tony asked breathily. Bucky shook his head fast, eyes wide. Tony laughed and nodded, leaning down to lay carefully on top of the man. He kissed Bucky's throat and jaw, gently rocking his hips again. He stroked his hands against Bucky's skin and ran his fingers through his hair. 

Within minutes, Bucky was melting under his touch, moaning his appreciation for Tony's soft caresses. It didn't take long before Tony was moving fast, the sounds of wet skin slapping skin echoing loudly in the big, open living room, drowning out the sounds of the forgotten movie. 

"God, you're so tight," Tony groaned, getting close to his climax sooner than he'd have liked. It had been months since he'd last had sex, and this was…it was honestly more sensual than the quick, impersonal sex he was having at the time. 

Bucky looked at him with tender, fawning moon-eyes and Tony was putting in as much extra work as he could to help the man feel like an equal in the act and not like it was being done _to_ him. 

"Ca-can I, can I kiss you, Bucky?" Tony panted, knowing he wasn't going to be able to hold back for much longer. Bucky blinked and Tony could see him thinking behind his clear blue eyes.

"K-kiss?" Bucky finally responded. Tony felt a pang of sadness in his heart. Bucky didn't know what kissing was. 

"Baby, I'm sorry but I have to come," Tony forced out, concentrating on nothing but his impending release. Bucky gasped and he pulled Tony in tight with his legs, clutching at him. 

Tony trembled as he gave one last hard thrust and began to fill James with his seed, growling in the back of his throat. He gave a few uncoordinated pumps as he rode out his orgasm before coming to a stop and breathing heavily. He rested his head against Bucky's chest momentarily to try to pull himself back together, but Bucky began to whimper and wriggle. 

" _Daddy_!" He whined, sounding humorously petulant. Tony raised his head, looking at Bucky with tired eyes, sweat running down his neck. "Bucky cummies? Bucky cummies, Daddy, _please_?!" Bucky begged as he pressed his still rock hard and leaking erection into Tony's stomach. 

"Of course, of course, baby. I just, I need a second to catch my breath. I'm an old man, honey," Tony joked, running the backs of his fingers against Bucky's high cheekbone. 

"Daddy not forget. Bucky _good boy_!" Bucky stressed, looking deeply into Tony's dark brown eyes with his own worried-looking ones. 

"I couldn't forget about you sweetheart," Tony assured softly, kissing near the corner of Bucky's mouth. When he pulled back, Bucky's face had turned a light shade of pink and he looked pleasantly surprised. "You want some more? Or do you want something else?" Tony asked, genuinely curious what Bucky would answer, if he did. 

Bucky thought for a second, then placed his hands on Tony's chest, pushing him off. Tony was a bit surprised but he followed where Bucky lead him. 

"Lay, daddy?" Bucky asked, sitting up and pressing Tony down into the couch. 

"Oh, of course," Tony replied, understanding what Bucky wanted. He quickly lay back on the couch, adjusting the pillows beneath him, then he held his hands out in invitation for the smaller man. Bucky began to crawl into Tony's lap, turning himself halfway around before he stopped and looked back at Tony.

"Bucky…look at daddy?" He asked nervously, hunching his shoulders to his ears. 

"Oh, honey, _please_ look at me," Tony replied softly. Bucky's smile grew huge and he quickly turned back around, positioning himself above Tony's softening cock. Just looking at how hard Bucky was for him made Tony feel wanted again. It made something warm light in his chest. He gripped Bucky's hips firmly and sat up to press a hard, wet kiss to the middle of his chest before he lay back down again with a smile. 

Bucky hovered uncomfortably over Tony's lap, looking like he was waiting for something nervously. Finally, he whined. 

"Bucky can have daddy cock?" 

Oh. He'd been waiting for permission. 

"Bucky can take whatever he likes."

Bucky gripped Tony's cock and sank down onto it without hesitation, closing his eyes in a sigh of pleasure. He planted his hands on Tony's chest and began snapping his hips back and forth like his life depended on it, ripping a cry from Tony's chest. 

"Oh daddy, oh daddy, oh daddy! So big! So good for Bucky! Oooh! Daddy, more!" He demanded, lifting his hips a bit and dropping them back down as he still gyrated like a tornado on crack. 

"Oh, Christ!" Tony could barely keep his brain online. He'd never had someone ride him so incredibly vigorously and he could feel a second orgasm building low in his tummy already.

"More Daddy! Hard!" Bucky cried, digging his fingertips into Tony's skin. Tony filed away a mental note to cut his nails later. Bucky's skin glistened with sweat and his eyes closed as he chased his cummies. Tony couldn't imagine a more beautiful sight, couldn't imagine telling this little minx that he was ugly, or forcing him to keep his back turned. 

Tony gripped his hips once again, holding him still as he began to fuck up into him hard. Bucky squealed and pressed against him, clearly needing it deep but Tony was so deep inside the man, he was afraid he was going to rip him in half.

Suddenly he felt something, small and smooth, and the look on Bucky's face said he felt it too.

"All the way up there?!" Tony marveled breathlessly.

"Daddy!" Bucky cried, swiveling his hips to feel it again. When Tony's cock bumped his swollen prostate again, Bucky burst into tears, sobbing and snapping his hips hard. 

Tony took charge then, sitting up and wrapping his arm around Bucky's waist. He knew just how to hit that spot, nestled safely where it was. He tipped Bucky back so that he was leaning a bit and tilted his own hips forward, beginning his assault once again, knowing neither of them would last long now. 

Bucky shrieked and held onto Tony's shoulders, allowing himself to go along for the ride. Within minutes, Bucky's eyes closed and his mouth fell open wide. He came hard, painting both of them in thick ropes of come. Tony continued to milk his prostate and Bucky continued to come, soaking them both. Finally, when Bucky looked like he'd had enough overstimulation and his cum had run dry, Tony began to piston his hips hard. He changed the angle so he didn't hit Bucky's prostate anymore and chased his own second orgasm, filling Bucky with more hot come. 

Finally, they both collapsed into a huge, sweaty, panting mess on the couch, unable to speak. Tony glanced at Bucky, still held loosely in his arms and he smiled. The man looked so blissed out he could have been mistaken for being on drugs. 

His eyes were almost completely closed and what Tony could see of them shone like jewels through his tears. His face was bright red from the intense pleasure he'd just received and his hair was a mess. His ribs swelled and shrank as he gasped and gulped in huge breaths of air. Tony marveled at just how much come covered them both. He could pretty much guarantee that Bucky had never experienced anything like that.

"Are…are you okay?" Tony panted once he'd caught his breath a bit. Bucky's head turned toward Tony, ecstasy still painted all over him and his lips turned into a smile. 

"Daddy? Bucky stay?" He asked, voice soft and sweet. 

Tony felt a lead weight drop into the pit of his stomach, breaking him out of his rapture. He couldn't answer that question. Tony didn't know that he _wanted_ Bucky to stay. He was a lot of work, and it had only been a day and a half. Not to mention that he had to get back to his regular life again soon. But he'd be lying if he said he wasn't enjoying the time he'd spent already, and lord knew he deserved better than what Clint was providing. But he didn't know the full nature of his relationship with Clint either. He couldn't just take him away. 

"Uh…how about we get cleaned up and have some lunch?" Tony suggested, avoiding the question completely. "You hungry?"

Bucky nodded. "Hungry," he repeated. "Thirsty."

"Let's go take a quick shower and I'll make us something. Which, by the way, you'll be eating this time," Tony informed seriously. He wasn't going to allow Bucky to eat the sorry excuse for food that he had been any longer. 

Tony got them into the shower quickly, washing first Bucky and then himself. When they got out, Tony helped Bucky to dry himself and then ran the brush through his hair again, though it was much easier this time. He found some comfortable, clean clothes for them to wear and got them both dressed, determined to make something that Bucky couldn't possibly say no to. 

"What's your favorite food?" Tony asked absently as they made their way back to the kitchen. 

"Treats!" Bucky answered excitedly, a bit of a hop in his step as he thought about them. Tony recalled the way the scrawny man had taken the treats directly from his palm the day before and frowned. 

When they got to the kitchen, Tony grabbed a clear glass from the cupboard and filled it at the sink, still deciding what to make for them to eat. He took a small swig and turned, nearly walking directly into Bucky, startling him out of his thoughts. 

"Hey! Honey, wow. How about you sit at the table, okay?" He stated, more of a command than a suggestion, as he guided Bucky to the nearest chair. He took him by the hips and pressed him down into a sitting position, while Bucky whined nervously. Once he'd gotten the man seated, he handed him the glass of water. 

Bucky looked at it for a moment, tilting his head this way and that before finally leaning forward to sniff at the contents of the cup. He cautiously stuck his tongue out and pressed his mouth inside the rim of the glass, trying to reach the water that way. He tried a few times before Tony chuckled and took the glass back. 

He knelt down before the man and held the glass between them. 

"Like this," he said softly, turning his head to the side so Bucky could see. "Use your lips," he instructed, handing the cup back. Bucky gingerly took the glass and pursed his lips the way Tony had, though much more exaggerated. He then pressed the rim of the glass to his mouth and tipped it back, much too quickly. 

Bucky gasped and jumped when cold water poured down his front, soaking his shirt-dress. He looked to Tony with big, horrified eyes. His hands began shaking and his throat tightened. 

"Bucky sorry!" He whispered, voice thick with tears. "Bucky sorry, Daddy! Di'nt mean it, Bucky sorry!" He dropped the glass and crossed his arms in an "X" over his face, protecting himself. 

Tony cursed as the glass slipped through his fingers and smashed against the floor and he heaved a sigh.

"Please no punish!" Bucky cried, bringing his knees up to his chest. "Bucky sorry, bad boy!" He sobbed.

"Oh honey, it's okay!" Tony assured, placing his hands on Bucky's shoulders softly. "Bucky? Buddy? It was my fault! I shouldn't have given you a breakable glass! I'm not going to hurt you!" Tony said loudly, trying to be heard over Bucky's sobs. He rubbed his hands up and down Bucky's arms and the man tightened his arms around himself.

"Honey…" Tony was at a loss for words. He felt his stomach churning thinking about the abuse the man must have been through to immediately react the way he was to such a minor mistake. 

Instead of trying to think of something to say, he leaned forward and wrapped his arms around Bucky, holding him close and rubbing his hands soothingly up and down his spine. He swayed him side to side gently and kissed his collarbone, shushing him calmly. 

When the man had finally calmed down and his cries had reduced to hiccuping sobs, Tony spoke again. 

"It's okay. Why don't I get this glass cleaned up and get a better cup for you, hmm?" He slowly released the bony man and pressed a kiss to his forehead before standing to retrieve an old dishtowel to clean the mess. 

He deposited the wet, glass filled towel into the trash bin and then went back to Bucky once he was finished. He'd begun to unfold himself but still sobbed softly and his eyes and nose were red; his face tear-streaked. 

Tony knelt in front of him again and tenderly wrapped his forearm around both of Bucky's heels. He carefully guided them down to the floor again, pulling his knees down as well. He gingerly leaned against the man's knees and looked up at his cast-down face, smiling up at him. 

Bucky's lower lip protruded and quivered but it seemed more like unease and fear, rather than pouting.

"Hey," Tony called softly. "No one will hurt you here," he murmured, reaching up to wipe away the tears on Bucky's cheeks. "How about we just forget that happened and have lunch, okay?" 

Bucky sniffled and nodded twice jerkily, still hunched over tightly. 

"Okay." Tony leaned to kiss Bucky's forehead again, but the man moved at the last second and it landed between his eyebrows. Tony let out a little laugh through his nose and kissed both of his eyebrows, moving on to his eyelids and temples, then his cheeks and finally, he planted one firmly on his chin. 

When he pulled away, Bucky leaned forward slightly and reached to touch his own lips with his finger, looking into Tony's eyes intently. 

Tony blushed and glanced around as if anyone else was there to watch him, and then awkwardly he leaned in and pecked James on the lips, pulling back quickly. 

He stood and went in search of a suitable drinking receptacle, face burning red. He couldn't be getting too attached to the man, he would be going home in two weeks and who knew if he'd ever see him again. Plus, he needed to take him to a doctor or some sort of professional, he was emaciated and psychologically scarred.

The most he could do for the man was helping him… _become_ a man.

Tony sighed as he pulled a plastic cup down from the cupboard that was printed with lemons and kiwis, had a handle and a lid with a straw. He couldn't remember when he'd acquired the item, but he was glad he had. 

He quickly filled it with cold water and turned to try again, handing it to Bucky. He guided the man's spindly fingers onto the handle and helped him hold it. 

"Just suck on the straw, like this," Tony demonstrated, sipping it himself quickly.

"Suck like daddy cock?" He asked sweetly, his innocent-sounding voice and sweet expression were directly contrasting the filthy words that had come out of his mouth. Tony's face burned like a sunburn and he swallowed, trying to keep his composure.

Before he could say anything or even think of a way to respond, Bucky opened his mouth wide and took the straw in, sinking down deep quickly like he was going to deepthroat the cup.

"Honey, no!" Tony yelped, gripping the straw and pulling it from his throat before he could choke. "Just-just sip it! Just the…tip," Tony grumbled, feeling dirty for saying it. 

"Oh," Bucky replied, following Tony's instructions. As soon as the water touched his tongue, his face lit up with joy and he excitedly slurped down half the cup in seconds. 

"Better than that gross bowl on the floor, right?" Tony asked, watching as he drank excitedly. He stood from the floor once again and groaned as his knees cracked and his back popped. "I'm too old for this," he grumbled. He glanced at the television in the living room and saw that the movie had ended. It was just as well, neither of them was really watching it. He decided to play some music instead while he threw something together quickly. 

He'd decided to make grilled ham and cheese sandwiches. It was fast, easy and delicious. Plus, it would probably make for a good "first" meal for Bucky. He couldn't help but think that there was no way in hell he'd been raised from birth eating cat food. He had to have had parents at some point, right? A family somewhere?

He pressed play on a song idly and hummed along to soft piano music as he worked, setting a bag of deli meat, cheese and a jar of mayo on the counter and pulled a loaf of bread crusted with seeds and nuts from a cupboard. 

He pulled out a pan and placed it on the front burner, plopping in a pat of butter and turning the heat on low. 

The singer's airy, low voice began singing and Tony allowed himself to get lost in the words as he worked, pushing aside fear and worry and protectiveness and sadness and sex and lust and _feeling_ for just a moment of peace. He was already so exhausted from the short but incredibly eventful day he'd had with his guest. 

_Roll the window down, let the air blow 'round you_

_A sadness in the breeze as the night divides us_

_In these darker days, I push the limit to the love you offer_

_There's a riot in my head, demanding we do this forever_

_Why would we divide when we could come together?_

_Just bodies that collide, lost and found each other_

_So don't, don't leave me alone_

_Don't leave me alone, don't leave me alone_

_Why would we divide when we could come together?_

He flipped the sandwiches in the pan as the singer's voice grew louder and full of emotion, glancing over his shoulder at Bucky. He sat still holding his cup, sipping it slowly, but his eyes were closed and he swayed softly to the music as well, more instruments joining the piano. Tony smiled and turned back to his pan. 

_Looking back around, glamorize the chaos_

_Don't let summer nights destroy everything before us_

_In these darker days, I push the limits to the love you offer_

_There's a riot in my head, demanding we do this forever_

_Why would we divide when we could come together?_

_Just bodies that collide, lost and found each other  
So don't, don't leave me alone_

_Don't leave me alone, don't leave me alone_

_Why would we divide when we could come together?_

_So roll the window down, won't let you go like this  
Go like this, go like this_

_Roll the window down, won't let you go like this_

_Go like this, go like this_

Tony flipped the sandwiches onto some paper plates from the cupboard and listened as the song slowed and then come to a crescendo, pouring himself a glass of almond milk. He set the plates on the table and reached for Bucky's cup, emptying the last of the water and refilling it with almond milk as well. 

Bucky watched as Tony set a plate before him and his mouth watered, his eyes big and focused on the food before him. The smell made his stomach ache, reminding him how empty and bruise-sore it was, always. He glanced up at Tony as he replaced the cup on the table in front of him and he felt old fear filling him. 

He slowly began to slide from his seat onto the floor, not wanting the bigger man to see the way he was looking at the food on the table. Bucky was a good boy. He knew better. 

He'd been beaten more than a few times for forgetting his place. He wouldn't make that mistake again.

Animals eat animal food. 

That's what Clint told him. After he'd beaten him senseless.   
Again.

Sometimes it felt like some kind of cruel game. Clint would leave out hot, delicious food, cut and waiting at Bucky's level near the floor. Then when Bucky fell for the bait, he'd come out of hiding to punish him. 

Bucky sniffled back the tears welling in his eyes and obediently pointed his nose to his bag of food on the counter, reminding Tony that his tummy was empty too. 

"Hey. Come sit, please," Tony called softly but firmly, sitting and watching Bucky creep across the floor. Bucky turned wide eyes on Tony and whined, pointing to the bag again. Tony thought he really should throw the shit away. Or at least hide it until Clint came back for his… _pet._

"Please sit with me," he coaxed again patiently. Bucky nudged his bowl on the floor with his nose and looked at Tony again sadly. 

"Your lunch is up here, kitten. Come eat with me please?"

Bucky whimpered, feeling a tear roll down his cheek as he warred internally with what to do. 

He wanted to please Daddy Tony. 

Daddy Tony was so good to him already. He made Bucky feel so good. He hadn't even hit Bucky for being such a bad boy, in the yard the night before, or with the spill. 

He wanted to do as Tony said. But Daddy Clint...

Daddy Clint would beat him senseless if he knew Bucky was thinking about the delicious way the food Tony had made smelled. He would choke him with his belt for looking at it too long and tie him to the table for days until he couldn't move from hunger. 

Bucky whimpered and turned to the living room, making his way to the coffee table to hide beneath it. He knew he was being a bad boy for Tony. But he was being a good boy for daddy Clint. 

He let out a scream of a yelp when he felt big hands clutch his waist firmly, pulling him back before he could reach his hiding place. He flinched at the touch and turned to Tony with a gasp. He'd been thinking about Daddy Clint and was expecting a blow to land, raising his thin forearms to protect himself. 

Tony turned him around and held him tightly as he struggled to break free. His mouth smiled but his eyes looked sad. 

" _HEY,_ " he called loudly but softly. "We're going to eat lunch now. Okay?" It didn't really sound much like a question, and Bucky was scared. If he had to sit at the table with that yum thing in front of him, he didn't know if he'd be able to control himself. He'd get a beating for sure. 

He yelped and tried to break free of Tony's grip, but he was completely weak and desperately powerless compared to Tony. 

Tony dragged him back to the table as carefully as he could but he was beginning to run low on his own stamina. Taking care of Bucky was more than mentally exhausting and physically draining. He felt like he could sleep for weeks already. A part of him wished Clint was coming back sooner and he hated himself for it. 

He finally managed to wrestle Bucky back into his seat and he held him wrapped in one arm, keeping him as still as possible and holding his arms at his side as he struggled. 

"Buck," Tony panted against the thrashing creature. "Just…taste this!" He cried, reaching in front of them and breaking a tiny piece of the sandwich off, pressing it to Bucky's tightly closed lips. 

Bucky wailed loudly behind his closed lips and tears flowed freely. Why was daddy Tony doing this to him? Didn't he know what would happen? 

Bucky turned his head away and accidentally knocked the bit of food from Tony's hand, smearing mayonnaise across his fingers in the process. 

Tony didn't bother getting more, instead forcing his mayo dressed finger between Bucky's lips and wiping it across his gums and the front of his teeth.

Bucky squealed but couldn't help the way he chased Tony's finger for more of the delicious taste. 

Tony quickly pulled his finger from Bucky's mouth and glanced at it, noticing a twinge of pink on the tip. He didn't have much time to think about it before Bucky finally opened his mouth and let out a lamenting howl. 

"Daddy, NO!" He shrieked, turning away again. 

"Why?!" Tony finally snapped, letting go of Bucky and standing before he could do anything in anger that he might regret.

Bucky spun on Tony so fast it almost scared him and he was quickly reminded that he didn't really know Bucky. He was practically feral and could possibly be dangerous. His fists were clenched and tiny at his sides and his face was torn between anger and horror. 

"HURT! BUCKY!" He screamed, melting into sobs immediately after. 

Tony was at a loss. 

"What? Wha-hurt Bucky? What does that mean? I'm not going to hurt you! I just want you to eat!" He yelled back, regretting raising his voice almost immediately. He ran his hands through wild hair as he panted to catch his breath.

Bucky began to hit himself with his balled fists about his head, struggling with everything in the situation. He punched himself in the temples over and over as he sobbed and rocked back and forth.

Tony quickly dropped to his knees again, taking the man's tiny wrists in his hands and holding them tightly, pulling Bucky forward so their foreheads rested against each other. 

"Buddy, I need you to breathe, okay? Just breathe. I need you to talk to me. I need to know what's going on. I can help you."

Bucky's breathing hitched on a sob and he listened, beginning to calm a bit, but still breathing hard. 

"Bucky, _h-h-hurt,_ " he finally managed. 

"Okay, who? Who's hurting Bucky? Is it daddy Clint?" Tony asked, pretty well knowing the answer already. 

"Daddy Clint!" Bucky yelped, shaking violently.

"What? Clint won't let you eat?" Tony asked, probing farther. 

"Bucky _dog!_ " Bucky growled, his voice taking a dark edge. Tony couldn't tell if it was his own or something he was repeating. "Bucky _scum_. Bucky no deserve eats!" His tone changed as if he were mimicking a parent warning a child. "Bucky look at that food, Bucky _lose his eyes_! Bucky taste it, he get beat! Like _DOG_!" He shrieked, dropping his head low down to his chest as he sobbed. 

Tony was shocked and disgusted, his mouth and eyes opening wide in disbelief at what he was hearing. He gently took Bucky's chin in his fingers and lifted his head back up, meeting his sad blue eyes.

" _Bucky,_ " he breathed, his own eyes filling with tears to mirror the ones in Bucky's. "He…he hurts you if you _eat?!_ " He couldn't get over the shock of the news. He should have known just by how scrawny the man was and the way he avoided food like a plague. He should have seen in the bruises and scars that littered his body. 

He couldn't let Clint have him back. He _refused_. 

But there was nothing he could do about that now. He had to get help and figure out how to get Bucky away from the disgusting monster that Clint was. 

For now, he could focus on the problem at hand. 

"Bucky, I will not hurt you for eating. I _want_ you to eat!" He tried, moving his face to try to get Bucky to look at him. 

"Can't!" Bucky whispered. "He know!"

"No! No, I-I won't tell him! It'll be our secret, okay?" Tony told him, hoping his voice was soothing enough. "I promise, I will never hurt you, Bucky." He slowly released Bucky's wrists, feeling a pang of guilt in his chest at the white marks that circled them from his own hands. "You can eat here. Anything. _Anytime_!"

He gently reached past Bucky and picked up his sandwich, bringing it to hold between them.   
"Do you want to eat this?" He asked, hoping to convince the man. Bucky let out a soft whimper and quickly turned his head away, trying not to look at it. 

"You do. Will you take a bite, please?"

Bucky squirmed uncomfortably and turned in his seat, facing the table again. Tony placed the sandwich back on his plate and slowly moved back to his own seat, hoping not to startle the man. Perhaps if Tony wasn't so close, Bucky wouldn't feel like he was an immediate threat. 

"Can you take a sip of your milk?" Tony asked, watching as Bucky's steel gray-blue eyes darted from the sandwich to his cup to Tony and back to his cup. Finally, he nodded his head once and his fingers crept onto the table, gingerly sliding the cup toward himself. He looked at Tony and took a cautious sip, surprised immediately by the taste. 

"Is it good?" Tony asked, his own appetite having pretty much gone at what Bucky had told him. Bucky nodded his head and a tiny smile finally graced his lips. 

"Okay. Now can you try to eat please?" Tony asked softly. Bucky looked at him with wide eyes and then down at the sandwich in front of him, having gone cold already. He sat contemplating it for a long while. Tony thought he was ignoring him after he continued to stay silent and was about to ask again when Bucky opened his mouth. 

"Daddy…no tell?" He asked softly. 

"I won't tell. It's between you and me."

"…. Daddy…promise?" His voice was so small. 

"I promise, honey."

Finally, after what felt like years, Bucky picked up the sandwich, tearing off a tiny bit of bread and lifted it to his lips, pausing and watching Tony with fear and distrust in his eyes. 

He took a deep breath and pressed it between his teeth. Tony watched intently as his eyes closed in delight and smiled when Bucky let out a little sigh of relief. 

Once he'd swallowed the tiny piece, he looked back to Tony and carefully grabbed the sandwich, bringing it to his lips and taking a huge bite, savoring it with a moan. He chewed and took another bite, his cheeks filling quickly. Before Tony knew it, the sandwich was gone and Bucky was licking and sucking at his buttery fingers like he'd never had anything better. 

He snatched his cup back off the table and began to slurp down the milk, no doubt enjoying the way the food quenched the burning fire that was hunger in his stomach. Tony smiled wide and wiped away the tears in his eyes before Bucky could see them, then quickly picked up his own sandwich, gently placing it on Bucky's plate. 

Bucky gasped and looked up at Tony, completely surprised and excited to be offered more food. He clutched it and the second sandwich disappeared almost as fast as the first. 

When he was finished, he couldn't wipe the grin off his face. He was so happy and appreciative and thankful, he couldn't contain it. He picked up his cup and finished off the last of his milk, looking suddenly exhausted. 

Tony felt exhausted too. 

"Hey, babe. Why don't we go take a little nap, huh?" Tony suggested. Bucky nodded enthusiastically and stood clumsily from his seat. Tony noticed the way his tiny tummy was pressing against his long shirt, pressing just the tiniest bit and he smiled knowing Bucky's belly was finally full.

"Uh oh," Bucky whispered, clutching at his lower stomach. 

"What's the matter, you gonna be sick?" Tony asked, worried. 

"Bucky…go potty?" He asked nervously. Tony scanned his lower half quickly to decide whether he meant that he had _gone_ potty or that he needed to. Seeing that the floor was still dry, he took Bucky's hand and began to lead him down the hall. 

"C'mon sweetheart, let's try to go on the potty again, okay?" 

He helped Bucky settle on the seat of the toilet, pulling his shirt up so he wouldn't pee on it. It didn't take long this time, and Bucky released his bladder almost immediately after sitting. He looked up at Tony and smiled when Tony looked proud of him.

"Bucky did it!" The smaller man grinned, looking proud of himself as well. Tony laughed and helped him stand again, guiding him to close the lid and flush. 

Bucky smiled so big Tony could see his gums. His swollen, dark red, bleeding gums.

Tony's smile fell and Bucky looked nervous when it did. 

"I'm taking you to the clinic. Tomorrow," Tony announced. "For now, let's sleep."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have no excuses, only plans. 
> 
> And I can't help but love to hurt Bucky.   
> Poor buttercup. 
> 
> So what did you think? If you've made it this far, might as well leave a comment, right? 
> 
> The song Tony played is Divide by Bastille


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He ran his fingers up and down Bucky's knobby spine lightly, feeling each vertebra and the ribs that connected and he sighed, wishing he could make them go away faster. He took comfort in knowing that he'd convinced Bucky to eat once already. Hopefully, he would do it again without a problem. What bothered him most was knowing that at the end of two short weeks, Clint would be back. He would want to take Bucky back to a life of eating cat food and living filthy on the floor and pissing in the grass.

Bucky lay comfortably curled into Tony's side, his leg draped over the older man's. He clutched tightly to his soft shirt, afraid he'd wake up and all of this would be a dream.

It was like being in paradise here with Tony. Everything was soft and warm and safe, and he didn't need to fear pain at all. His stomach was so full it hurt and his head felt clearer than it had in years with real sustenance in his belly and a soft place to sleep.

He was used to the way his knees hurt and the way his spine ached from being curled in fear on the floor for so many years, but now, Tony helped him stand straight and it felt so good to feel carpet on the soles of his feet. Tony taught Bucky things that he'd once known and forgotten. He helped him to feel safe again.

He didn't know what had made Clint decide he didn't want him anymore, but he was so glad he had. 

Clint was cruel. Clint was callous and mean and he was angry and strong. He told Bucky he was worthless and delighted in making him hurt in any way he could.

Bucky didn't like Clint very much, but now he was gone and he had Tony. 

He wasn't going to mess this up, he was going to be so good for Tony. 

He pulled himself closer by the fistful of Tony's shirt that he clutched and nuzzled his nose up under Tony's chin, into his delicious comforting smell, listening to the soft noises he made in his sleep. Bucky didn't have a word for the smell but it made him feel safe.

Bucky smiled. 

His body and his mouth still hurt, his ears rang constantly and he couldn't make all of the words in his brain come out of his mouth yet, but he was closer. Tony might never even know how he'd helped Bucky advance in just the short time they'd been together.

Bucky felt grateful beyond anything he could ever speak anyway. 

Tony woke fitfully as the room around him was growing dim. He'd been having nightmares of taking Bucky to a clinic only for people to whisper and give judgemental looks. The people in his dreams didn't have faces, but they all seemed to look at him as if _he_ was the disgusting monster that had turned Bucky into the tiny frightened thing that he was. In a few of his dreams, he even found himself in handcuffs, screaming that they had the wrong man. Sometimes he watched them rip Bucky away, crying and begging for them not to. He shuddered and clutched Bucky tighter to his chest, surprised at how attached he'd gotten so quickly.

He ran his fingers up and down Bucky's knobby spine lightly, feeling each vertebra and the ribs that connected and he sighed, wishing he could make them go away faster. He took comfort in knowing that he'd convinced Bucky to eat once already. Hopefully, he would do it again without a problem. What bothered him most was knowing that at the end of two short weeks, Clint would be back. He would want to take Bucky back to a life of eating cat food and living filthy on the floor and pissing in the grass. 

Clint wanted to take Bucky back to a house of horrors where he had no say in what happened to him and Tony couldn't stand that thought. He wanted to protect Bucky, to find out all of his favorite things and shower him in them constantly. 

He squeezed Bucky again and the man let out a soft groan, nuzzling his nose into Tony's throat. Tony smiled and moved his hand to thread fingers into Bucky's long soft hair. 

"Daddy?" He chirped quietly as he woke. Tony smiled and nodded. 

"I'm here, doll. Did you sleep okay?" 

"Mmhmm, yes Daddy," he yawned as he stretched out. 

"I'm glad, honey. You wanna get up?" 

Bucky shook his head, wrapping his arms farther around Tony's torso. 

"Okay. Do you have to go potty?" Tony asked, feeling the urge to pee himself. 

Bucky groaned and did a sort of little dance, wiggling his hips in answer. 

"Is that a yes?" Tony chuckled. Bucky whined. 

"It's alright honey, we can still cuddle after if you'd like," Tony suggested, gently pressing Bucky away. The younger brunette looked a bit put out when Tony sat up and stretched, standing at the end of the bed, but when he extended his hand back, Bucky smiled a bit. 

Tony helped Bucky to his feet and lead him to the bathroom, helping him first. He gently eased the man's shirt-dress up over his waist as he sat down, trying to keep his eyes on his face rather than anything else. He then moved to sit at the edge of the tub, watching as Bucky looked down at himself. 

It didn't take much time at all before Bucky was using the restroom properly, having already done it twice before. He grinned wide and looked up at Tony with eyes huge with pride. Tony smiled back at him, but now it tugged at him that he hadn't noticed Bucky's painfully red gums before. His teeth were even tainted with pink. He needed to get him some sort of medical help, _yesterday_. 

He shuddered as he remembered his dreams and quickly decided that he wasn't taking Bucky anywhere until he was more human than a neglected creature. That only left him with one option. 

He quickly used the restroom after Bucky was finished and lead him to the living room, guiding him to sit on the couch. 

"I'll get you a snack, wait here." He headed for the kitchen, grabbing a container of strawberries and a small bowl, filling it halfway before taking it back to Bucky. 

"Here, honey. Can you eat these and stay on the couch while I make a phone call?" Tony asked as he handed the smaller man the bowl and reached for the remote. "You can watch a movie, too."

Bucky sniffed gently at the bowl and he couldn't deny the way it made his mouth water. The red things smelled so sweet. He didn't pay much attention to Tony as he restarted the peach movie, too preoccupied with poking the soft red sweet things. One of them spurted sticky juice onto his fingers and he licked at it, smiling at the way it made his mouth pucker, and he decided to poke it again.

Tony leaned in and kissed his forehead lightly before promising he'd be back and heading off for the kitchen again. Bucky watched him from the corner of his eye, then got caught up in the movie again. He remembered watching it a lot in a time when he was someone else. He stabbed at the food in his bowl and licked it off his fingers absently while he watched the familiar opening sequence and listened loosely to Tony murmuring quietly into the phone.

His eyebrows quirked and his head cocked as far off warning bells sounded in his head, memories of Clint and hushed phone calls that resulted in visitors who were none too kind, but then the little boy on the screen was singing and James smiled. 

The boy was singing about his name and Bucky recalled a time when he shared the same one. He tried to pull the far-off memory back but it slipped away as Tony sat beside him again. The man wrapped his arms around him warmly and Bucky snuggled into the embrace with a contented sigh, feeling safe and happy. 

Tony smiled as he watched Bucky making a mess of his snack, eyes on the screen when suddenly he turned to Tony and whispered, "My…name is…James."

Tony looked at the man for a moment, glancing back at the movie and then to the man beside him. 

"James? Is that your real name?" He asked softly. 

The man nodded and licked more juice from his fingers as he turned back to the movie. 

"Okay. James it is then."

A short while later, Tony stood at the stove cooking chicken and vegetables in a pan and Bucky was happily sitting in his chair watching when they heard a knock at the door. Tony glanced at Bucky in his seat and then moved to open the door, greeting the visitor loudly. 

Bucky felt his heart race in his chest and he quickly slid to the floor, hiding as best he could beneath the table. Tony lead the visitor inside and went back to his cooking, pulling the pan from the heat and grabbing three plates from the cupboard to begin serving the food. 

"So what's up?" The strange man asked. "Haven't made a house call in a while. Got the sniffles?" He joked as he sat at a chair at the table, setting a large black bag on the floor beside him. Bucky shied away from the man's legs and watched as Tony began setting plates on the table. 

"Uh, actually I...have a _guest_. He needs a little help. And I need you to keep this between us," Tony replied seriously, heading to grab some cups and a carton of juice from the fridge. 

"A guest? Where is he?" The stranger asked. 

"He's right here. He's a little nervous so don't scare him, okay?" Tony answered, setting the cups on the table as well. The man paused before asking, "What's the secret?"

"He is, technically. I really need you to promise this is between you and me."

"Okay. This is starting to sound weird. But, as a doctor, I'm legally not allowed to say anything about anything medical you tell me here unless it's endangering someone."

Tony sighed and sat gently, his knees bracketing Bucky safely, threading his fingers loosely through his hair. He knew the man was there. He ran his fingers lightly down the man's cheek.

"Hey, Buck?" He finally said, breaking the silence. "Why don't you come up here and meet our guest?" 

Bucky whimpered softly but did as he was told. He didn't want to disappoint his new daddy. 

He pulled himself up onto his seat and flinched when the new man gasped, but sat obediently anyway. 

"Tony, what the hell is that?" The man murmured, not taking his eyes off Bucky. 

"Uh, this is Buck-uh, _James_. I think he's sick."

Tony's friend cleared his throat, then murmured softly to Tony that he wanted to speak in private. Tony stood rigidly and lead him to the living room and James watched them over his shoulder, fidgeting with the hem of his shirt. He was nervous. He hadn't been made to play with more than one master in a long while and he wasn't sure that he could handle it. He really didn't want to. 

He'd been hoping that Tony was a selfish owner and that he wouldn't want to share. It would seem that that was a silly hope. Still, Tony was such a better Daddy than Clint had ever been. James was sure that no matter what Tony made him do or who he made him do it with, it would be better than starving with Clint. 

"Tony, is this some weird kink thing? Who is he?" The man hissed under his breath, glancing back at James in the kitchen. 

"He's... it's honestly a long story. I'm taking care of him for a few weeks and I really want to get him in good health again before I have to give him back. I…I really don't _want_ to give him back," Tony added honestly. 

"Well, I'm going to need you to tell me everything you've got on him if I'm going to be any help. Does he have some kind of eating disorder? He's a bag of bones!"

"Uh, he…he's been _abused_. He's been made to eat cat food. For a really long time. I don't know how long."

"Cat food?!" The man carded his fingers through his hair in exasperation and paced a bit as he took in what Tony was telling him. "Exclusively?!"

"As far as I can tell." Tony rubbed his arm anxiously before meeting the man's dark brown eyes again. "Look, I didn't _do_ this to him. I'm just looking to get him some help."

The man sighed again. "Okay, alright I'll help but you really should try to get him to a hospital or something soon, just to be sure he doesn't have anything I can't find."

"Alright. Thanks for doing this for me, Bruce. You're a real lifesaver."

"Yeah, yeah. To be honest with you, I was really hoping this was going to be one of those once in a blue moon, drunk-Tony booty calls I get every now and again." Bruce smirked as Tony turned beat red. "Wait, you're not… _sleeping_ with him, are you?" Bruce asked in an admonishing tone.

Tony blinked a few times and quickly looked away, crossing his arms across his chest.

" _Tony!_ Have you been getting consent?" He demanded in a hiss, taking a step closer.

"Well, I, y-yeah! I mean, yeah I-I asked him and, and he wanted to! I even let him take charge! And it was only one time!" 

Bruce sighed again and shook his head. "Alright. Let's just talk to this creature, hmm?" 

Tony nodded, though he was still feeling nervous. He knew Bruce would legally have to report anything that he deemed dangerous to Bucky, and he was glad, but the reality was Bucky was being constantly abused before now. Almost anything could get him taken away permanently.

He lead the man back to the table and sat down tensely. Bruce seemed to be mentally preparing himself before he smiled and turned to James. 

"Hello. I'm Bruce."

James just looked at Bruce nervously from the corner of his eye, keeping his gaze down on the plate before him. 

"James, Bruce is a doctor. He's going to make sure you're healthy, okay?" Tony followed soothingly. "You can eat while we talk."

James' eyes flicked up to Tony's face then back to his plate, looking almost overwhelmed at what was there. 

"James…can have drink?" He asked quietly. 

"Of course," Tony replied, pushing his plastic cup a little closer. James eagerly took it in both hands and began to slurp it fast, eyes widening in delight at the flavor of the juice. 

"Do you like juice, James?" Bruce asked, trying to open a line of conversation. James glanced at Bruce for a moment, then lowered his head back down, his hair dropping to cover his face. 

"Yes," he whispered, almost silently. 

"What else do you like?" Bruce pressed. James squirmed. 

"Can I cut up your chicken for you, buddy?" Tony suggested, feeling himself beginning to sweat. He was really hoping this went over well. 

James slowly looked back up at Tony before repeating, "chicken?" Tony slid his plate closer and began to cut it with his fork and knife. 

"Yeah. I made chicken and vegetables. Doesn't it look yummy?" He said each word slowly so that James could follow along. James nodded as though he didn't quite understand, but he watched Tony intently, eyeing the food with interest. 

"Are you hungry?" Tony asked. 

"Hungry!" James responded excitedly. He turned slightly to the counter, as though he were going to drop to the floor to beg for cat food again, but Tony stopped him. 

"Hey! _No_! You can eat real food here, remember?" Tony pressed, his heart beginning to pound. He didn't want Bruce to think he was mistreating the man. He finished cutting the food into small, bite-sized pieces before sliding the plate back in front of James. He couldn't help but notice Bruce sliding a spiral-bound notebook from his bag on the floor and beginning to write notes. 

"James, does someone make you eat cat food?" Bruce asked quietly in his soft, slow way. It was meant to sound soothing but Tony couldn't help but find it a little condescending. 

James slowly reached for a piece of chicken with his fingers, ignoring Bruce's question. He picked one up and sniffed at it a bit, then held it up to Tony. 

"James can eat?" He asked sweetly. 

"Anything you want, hon," Tony replied with a swallow. James' lips curved up into a smile and he tentatively licked it before popping it into his mouth and chewing happily. 

"Yummy," he repeated Tony's earlier word. "Daddy eat?" He asked, popping a few more pieces into his mouth, packing his cheeks full. 

"Daddy?" Bruce arched an eyebrow as he turned his attention back on Tony. 

"Uh, y-yeah. He just calls me that. I think that's what his…what Clint has him call him."

"Who's Clint?" Bruce asked for clarification.

"Daddy Clint," James spoke absently, putting piece after piece into his mouth, his cheeks bulging. "Not nice daddy. James like daddy Tony. Daddy Tony make Bucky feel nice. Daddy Tony let Bucky sleep in bed!" James mumbled excitedly through his food. Bruce scribbled notes in his pad as James spoke. Tony smiled a bit in spite of himself. 

"So you like Tony?" Bruce asked, focusing intently on James' response. 

"Like Tony," James repeated. Tony gently rested his hand on Bucky's as he reached for another piece of chicken, stopping him before he could. 

"You should chew what you have in your mouth. I don't want you to choke."

James' eyes turned wide and his face took a nervous edge. "Bucky bad?" He asked quietly. 

"No! No, just slow down, okay?" James nodded his head and leaned back, chewing thoughtfully. 

"So…Tony takes care of you?" Bruce asked after a moment, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose. 

James shook his head as he finished his mouthful. 

"Do you like the way he takes care of you?"

"Daddy Tony make Bucky food. Make Bucky sleep on bed. Make Bucky potty. Make Bucky feel good."

"And what does that mean? That he makes you feel good?" Bruce pressed, leaning forward a bit. 

"Daddy Tony not hurt Bucky. Make Bucky come. Come lots," he replied, cavalier as he began to gnaw on a piece of broccoli. Tony burned red as a stop sign and he chanced a glance over at Bruce, who looked just as embarrassed by the answer. 

Bruce cleared his throat as he composed himself again. 

"So…Clint? How does he make you feel?"

"Bad," James answered simply. 

"Can you tell me more about that?"

"Daddy Clint not make James come. Daddy Clint fuck too hard. Daddy Clint hit and bite. Daddy Clint say…" his voice trailed off and his head dropped low as his shoulders began to curl inward. "He say Bucky worthless, dumb, ugly animal. Not deserve to be happy."

"Buddy, you are none of those things," Tony assured softly, taking James' hand firmly in his own and pulling it to his lips to kiss the knuckles. James giggled a bit and looked back up at Tony with a small smile. Bruce watched the interaction closely.

"Daddy eat?" James asked again inquisitively, noticing again that he was the only one eating. 

"Oh, uh, of course," Tony uttered, dropping James' hand and picking up his utensils. He nodded to Bruce to do the same. 

They ate in relative silence, Bruce watching Tony and James interacting, and soon they had all finished their meals. 

"That was delicious, Tony, thank you," Bruce smiled, sitting back in his chair. 

"Delicious!" James parroted with a big grin. His face was messy with bits of sauce and broccoli and Tony chuckled to himself. 

"We should get you cleaned up," Tony stated, gathering all of their plates and depositing them in the sink. It was beginning to get fuller than normal and Tony mentally reminded himself that his cleaner would be there tomorrow morning. 

"Uh-oh, um...daddy?" James squeaked, fidgeting in his chair. 

"Yes, bud?" Tony answered, turning back to the table. 

"James go potty?" He asked, pressing his hands into his lap. 

"Oh! Yes! Of course!" Tony jumped to help James from his seat and into the bathroom. Bruce followed quietly a step behind. 

He stood in the doorway as Tony helped James lift his shirt and sit on the toilet and watched the interaction.

"Um, daddy?" James whispered nervously as he peered at Bruce behind them. Tony turned over his shoulder and saw Bruce was there. 

"I think you're making him nervous," Tony stated, feeling a bit awkward himself. 

"Oh, I just…want to see how good you do!" Bruce stated, taking a small step closer. "So Tony helps you go to the bathroom?" He asked, peeking over Tony's shoulder. James let out an anxious little whine. He leaned into Tony's shoulder and whimpered, "please Daddy, Bruce not watch?" 

"Hey bud," Tony said calmly as he stood and took a step toward Bruce. "He doesn't want you to watch. Can you maybe go wait? Or at least turn around? The rest of the physical is going to be pretty traumatic for him as it is."

"Oh! Of course, sorry. I was just interested in the sample. Don't let him flush." He turned to James quickly and uttered his apologies before hurrying to stand outside the door.

"Thank you, Daddy," James whispered softly before finally allowing himself to go. Tony helped him clean up afterward and then lead him from the bathroom by the elbow. He stopped where Bruce stood. 

"So, we should do this exam. Where do you want him?" Tony asked quietly, not sure if James understood what was about to happen or not. 

"Wherever he's most comfortable. The bedroom, most likely. I'll be in in just a minute."

Tony nodded and steered James to the bedroom once more, sitting him gently at the edge of the bed. Bruce followed them in just a moment later with his big black bag.

"He needs to drink more water. A lot of it," Bruce announced as he entered the room. "He's lucky he doesn't have any crystals in his urine, but to prevent that, I want him constantly hydrating. Do you have a scale?" He asked as he set his bag on the floor, pulling it open. 

"Uh, yeah, I'll go grab it," Tony replied, running back to the bathroom to grab his analog scale from the cabinet. He was back in just a second and Bruce had pulled his stethoscope around his shoulders. 

"Set it down somewhere flat, please. We'll start with height and weight. Can you stand up for me buddy?" Bruce requested, holding his hand out to help James down. 

James took the offered hand gently, but his eyes were wide and nervous and all over Tony. Bruce lead him to the scale and placed his hands on his boney hips, pushing him onto the tool. 

James let out a frightened whimper and glanced at Tony, tears beginning to shine in his eyes. 

"It's alright, honey, we just want to see how much you weigh," Tony assured. "It'll be done in just a second," 

Within a moment, the scale had stopped moving and Bruce let out a low whistle under his breath, turning to glare at Tony. He wrote the tiny number in his notebook, then helped James down. 

"Ninety-eight pounds, Tony. That's after he's eaten dinner. You need to be offering him food and drinks at all times during the day. He needs to gain body fat and muscle weight or his heart could start shutting down, among other things." His jaw clenched as he pulled a vinyl measuring tape from his pocket, preparing to take James' height.

"Bruce, I didn't do this to him! H-he hasn't even been here that long! It's only been a few days!" Tony defended himself, though he still felt ashamed. 

"You slept with him!" Bruce hissed, leaning in close to Tony. "Did you even stop to consider his sexual health, or using protection?"

Tony looked away, his mouth opening as though he was going to say something but no sound came out.

"Right. Stand up straight for me, bud." He turned back to James and turned him around, holding the end of the tape measure with his toe before pulling it up his spine.

"Sixty-seven inches," the doctor murmured to himself before writing it in his notebook. "Five-foot seven. Can we get this gown off?" He asked as he absently scanned his notes. 

"Uh…he's naked underneath," Tony mumbled, shuffling his foot. 

"Of course he is. We'll need him naked soon anyway, we can just give him a sheet. Please," he waved in James' general direction and went back to his bag for a tool.

Tony huffed under his breath, but he knew the man was doing him a huge favor. He walked slowly toward James and placed his hands gently on his arms. 

"Hey honey, it's time to take off your shirt, okay?" Tony informed him quietly. "Doctor Bruce is going to make sure your body is healthy." He slowly slid his hands down James' arms and rested them on his hips, gauging his reaction. 

James shifted from foot to foot anxiously, knowing it was time to give the dogtor what he'd come for. He knew it most likely wouldn't last too long, but it always felt like an eternity when it happened. He'd been watching the way the dogtor's daddy parts moved in his clothing every chance he got and he knew it was a little bigger than what he was comfortable with. He also knew that dogtor daddy Bruce was strong, judging by the way he moved him effortlessly without a second thought. He was sure he'd be fine though, as long as daddy Tony stayed with him, and the man allowed him to prepare himself. Already it had been different from what he was used to with Clint. 

Those men would just come in, drag Bucky to Clint's bedroom and have their way, leaving as soon as they finished. Bruce at least seemed nice, though a bit strange. He wasn't sure what he was writing or why he seemed angry with daddy Tony but he still seemed to be kind.

He felt himself shuddering and shaking, hot tears welling in his eyes as Tony slid his clothing slowly up his chest and over his head. He hadn't missed this feeling of being bare. It was cold and it made him feel weak. But he didn't know why it was such an issue at the same time. He'd been this way more times than he could count. It wasn't as if it were different.

Daddy Tony lightly ran his hand across James' full tummy and smiled and it made him feel good, so he smiled too. He then gently guided James back to the bed, sitting him down and moving the blanket to cover his lap. James gripped it and held it tightly, comforted by it, though he knew he'd be exposed soon.

"Ready?" The dogtor man asked, holding something in his hand that looked like it was really going to hurt when it landed. 

James nodded his head as tears began to pour from his eyes and he choked down loud sobs. 

"Hey! It's alright, James!" Daddy Tony soothed, wiping away tears with his thumbs. "It won't hurt, and it'll be quick. I'll be right here with you." James nodded again and gripped tighter to the blanket in his lap. 

The Bruce man put his hand on James' chest, applying light pressure, then pressed a cold metal circle into his back, sliding it around here and there.

"Sounds good here," the Bruce said, moving the circle onto James' front and pressing it here and there. "Good," he repeated. He wrapped the long thing around his shoulders and reached to James' throat, pressing his fingers in. James gasped and did his best not to flinch away, but he hated when they choked him unconscious first. 

Bruce didn't seem to know how to do it, moving his fingers around every few seconds and only pressing lightly. Maybe this dogtor man was learning how to be a daddy. Maybe he was just getting practice with James. 

"Lymph nodes are fine, the tiniest bit of swelling but that could be due to anything, and who knows what else we'll find. Lay down for me, please?" He asked James, though he pressed him back firmly anyway without waiting. 

This was it. He was going to climb on top and take whatever he wanted. He was going to put his daddy parts inside-

"You okay, James?" The man asked in his soft, soothing voice. James quickly nodded his head. He just wanted this to be over. 

"Okay. Well, I'm going to press on your tummy in a couple places, you just tell me if it hurts you." He began gently but firmly pressing his fingers into James' stomach near his rib cage, slowly sliding them up and down and pressing in different places.

"Does any of this hurt? Or feel uncomfortable?" The man asked, peering over his glasses. James sniffled and shook his head, unsure of what was happening anymore. "Alright," Bruce said again. He moved his fingers down into James' pelvis and pressed into his stomach gently one last time. 

James let out a yelp and his body jerked, grabbing Bruce's wrists tightly. Bruce hissed and growled, trying to pry his arms away from James' surprisingly strong grip.

"Ahh! Shit!" He bit out as Tony stepped in, peeling James' fingers from Bruce's wrists.

"Ooh! Bucky sorry!" He squeaked, eyes growing wide. "Bruce hurt Bucky!" He pleaded with Tony, hoping he wouldn't be getting punished for his actions.

"It's, it's okay!" Bruce panted, rubbing at his own wrists. "I'm going to guess that hurt?" 

James nodded and looked from daddy Tony to Bruce. Neither of them seemed all too mad. 

"Okay, I'll be more gentle next time. I'm going to touch you again, alright?" Bruce asked, sliding his fingers along James' stomach again. 

James tensed, but Bruce was true to his word, touching very lightly. It still hurt and he winced. Bruce made a note of something in his book. 

"Alright, let's get this blanket off and make sure everything down here is good." He slid the blanket from James' waist and set it aside, wasting no time in examining his most private areas. Tony reached forward and held James' hand for reassurance and James appreciated it greatly. 

Bruce pulled a glove from his pocket and pulled it on quickly, grabbing James' soft dick and gently sliding his thumb across the head, pulling gently at the slit, then examining the shaft top and bottom. 

"Well. No rashes or sores. No weeping or scales. He'll have to have blood work to be sure that he's free of STI's though. I'm going to check him for testicular torsion now," he announced as he shifted his focus from James' cock to his face. "How you doing up there, buddy?"

James gave a whimper and squeezed Tony's hand harder. It wasn't necessarily unpleasant, and Bruce was very gentle, but he still didn't want to let Bruce inside. Plus, his touches were so light and fleeting that James couldn't even properly get turned on. It would hurt less if he could. 

"Almost done with the embarrassing stuff, buddy, I promise," Bruce assured as he gently took James' scrotum in his hand. He rolled one side between his fingers gently, following it up into James' body with his fingers before switching to the other side and doing the same. He then lifted his scrotum and looked underneath, stroking the muscle that connected the flesh gently. 

James shuddered and his face flushed, squeezing his eyes shut tightly. 

"Done with that. Let's get the prostate checked and we can get you covered up again, okay? Tony, I need your lube."

 _This_ was it. He was finally going to start forcing himself inside. James could get himself hard quickly for the man. It would be better for both of them. 

"Roll on your side, honey? Tuck your knees in real tight to your chest okay?" Bruce guided, pressing him into position as he spoke. Tony handed Bruce a bottle of lube from his drawer and Bruce slicked up a gloved finger. 

James took a deep breath and locked his eyes on Tony. He didn't want to think about anyone else inside of him. 

He felt the pressure of Bruce's slick finger pressing against his muscle and he quickly reached between his legs, stroking his own dick into hardness. Bruce's finger slid in another inch and James groaned, feeling him wiggling around inside him. 

"That…doesn't feel quite right," Bruce murmured to himself, his own face growing red as he searched inside of James. 

"It's…uh," Tony cleared his throat, not wanting to make eye contact with Bruce. "It's higher up."

"That's…unusual," Bruce replied distractedly, pressing in farther. James gasped and flinched as Bruce's finger began to press in even deeper. " _There_ it is," Bruce announced as he found it, petting against it to check for abnormalities. Neither of the men noticed James' hand flying furiously over his cock.

"Okay, good job honey. I'm going to pull my finger out now, okay? Slowly." Bruce did as he said he would and Tony handed him a tissue to wipe off the mess on James' skin. As soon as he had, James clambered up onto his hands and knees, spreading his legs wide and pressing his chest flat into the mattress. His cock was hanging low between his legs and beginning to dribble in anticipation. 

"Oh my God," Bruce squeaked, turning around to face away from James'. 

"It's okay, Daddy Bruce, I ready for you. You use me up, James a good boy," he assured. Though he didn't want any part of it, he was still a good boy and determined to prove it to his new daddy. 

"James!" Tony yelped, gripping the tiny man's hips and pressing him down flat into the mattress. He quickly grabbed the blanket and threw it over him, covering him almost fully. James' head whipped up off the bed and he looked at Tony with surprise and confusion. 

"James good boy!" He yowled, trying to convince Tony. 

"James, you don't throw yourself at the doctor!" Tony scolded, looking worriedly to where Bruce still had his back turned. 

"Is this normal behavior?!" Bruce demanded, turning just enough to send another withering glare in Tony's direction. 

"H-he's been abused, I told you that! He's used to… _being used_!"

"And I'm sure you using him yourself really helped that a lot, right?" Bruce snarked back. 

"Well, I-I…Bruce, _please_ -" Tony was cut off by Bruce as he turned back to James on the bed. 

"Let's just finish this and be done with it." He pulled his glove off and slid the blanket back until it was just covering James' waist, then began to massage at the man's back, pressing and running his fingers down the muscles that lined his vertebrae. He got about halfway down when James let out a sharp cry and gripped the sheets below him tightly. 

"That hurt?" Bruce asked, gently pressing the spot again. He could see the man's muscles tense firmly as he did and he knew something was wrong. 

"Is that connected to the spot on his hips?" Tony asked, genuinely concerned.

"Not really. That spot on his front could indicate a kidney infection. That's located-" he moved his fingers lower to James' pelvis and gave a gentle press, drawing another whine from James. "-here. But up here," he moved his hands back up, bracketing his spine in his hands. "this has been knocked out of place. Chiropractic issue."

"Can you fix it?" Tony pressed, seeing the spot now that Bruce had mentioned it. 

"I can fix it as well as possible but again, he needs a professional. This isn't my area of expertise. I need you to lay flat and relax for me, okay?" Bruce instructed James, turning his head to the side and pulling his hair back. He began working his thumbs down the muscles slowly from his neck down, pressing and working out knots. 

"You can see the way the muscle looks misshapen on that right side. It's very guarded to prevent any further injury. We'll have to get him as relaxed as possible before I try to do an adjustment."

Bruce spent the next few minutes running his hands up and down James' back until they both could see that he'd visibly relaxed, sinking into the mattress. 

"Feel good," James murmured, eyes closed and breathing deeply. 

"Perfect," Bruce responded absently, working as close to the injured muscle as he could. Finally, he took a deep breath and arranged his hands into a sort of triangular shape. He positioned them directly over the misalignment and rested them firmly, listening to James' breathing. 

"In," Bruce coached, listening to the way James was already breathing. "Out, good. One more time. Deep breath in….and…." He pressed down with all of his strength and a sickening crunch filled the room, followed by James' cry of pain and surprise.

"Stay still!" Bruce commanded, leaning firmly over top of him to keep him from getting up. "It's okay! Take a deep breath. Does that feel better?" He asked. 

James whimpered for a moment, then slowly he quieted down, realizing that he really did feel much better than before. He let out a sigh of relief as he finally let himself relax into the mattress. 

Bruce released him slowly, climbing back down onto the floor. 

"Now look," he said to Tony, pointing to the spot where the muscles had been bunched and hard before. "It's beginning to smooth out. Those muscles aren't guarding that spot anymore. Must have got it right on. You can see the color coming back to his skin now too." He rubbed gently at the area to help the muscle release fully and Tony saw the hint of a smile on his face. 

"I think that's about it. I can just check his eyes, ears, and throat and we'll be done here."

Tony let out a sigh of relief and nodded, scrubbing his fingers through his hair. 

He reached forward and helped James back to a sitting position, making sure to keep him covered with the blanket as he did. Bruce retrieved a different tool from his bag, replacing the one he'd grabbed the first time and clicked a switch, turning the light on. 

"We'll check your ears first," Bruce said absently as he moved to James' side and peered in.

"Hmm." He moved to the other side and looked in it as well. "Huh."

"What? What's huh?" Tony asked, feeling frazzled after everything that had happened so far. 

"Seems…" Bruce moved back to the other side to look again, then he dropped the tool and looked at James. "Can you hear me?"

James looked uncertain as he nodded in response to Bruce. 

"How well?" Bruce pressed, though he didn't expect a response. He sat on the bed and leaned behind James, turning his head forward when he tried to look at the man. 

Tony thought back to James' first day there with him and remembered the muted laughter and the way he didn't seem to be hearing everything he said unless he got his attention first. He swallowed hard. 

Bruce began rubbing his fingers lightly by James' ear, waiting for the man to respond. When he didn't, he tried the other side. After a few moments of nothing from James, Bruce snapped his fingers and watched James' head flash toward the sound. 

"Huh." He said again. 

"Well, what? What does that mean? What's huh?" Tony demanded, exasperated. 

Bruce stood back up and peered inside James' ears again. 

"Seems he has some trauma. Maybe he fell or… _something._ " he glanced at Tony again quickly. "He has some hearing loss, but it seems temporary. It looks like it's already healing itself, but I have no idea how long it's been there. You're going to have to keep a _very_ close eye on it to be sure it isn't getting worse. He could end up needing surgery, or hearing aids." Bruce sighed and moved to James' front. "Open up, buddy."

He gently took James' chin in his fingers and eased his mouth open, using his fingers to press back his lips.

"Jesus fucking Christ, Tony, what the fuck?!" He demanded, getting a good look at James' mouth finally. 

"H-he, I-I think it's from the cat food!" Tony peeped, feeling incredibly guilty. 

There were painful red and white sores all over James' tongue and the roof of his mouth and his gums were bright red and inflamed. Bruce gently pressed on James' gums and blood seeped sluggishly from his gum line onto his teeth. 

Bruce pressed one of James' teeth with the tip of his finger and it wiggled loosely. 

"This is…this is _scurvy_ , for Christ's sake. This is the twenty-first century! Nobody gets scurvy anymore! What the hell?!" Bruce shouted, clearly growing more and more angry at what he was discovering.

James' shoulders flew up to his ears and he looked from Tony to Bruce, unsure what exactly was happening.

Bruce rounded on Tony and advanced on him. 

"This is disgusting and unacceptable. I don't think I can just let this go, Tony! I _have_ to turn this in!" 

"No! Please!" Tony yelped, placing his hands on Bruce's chest and pleading up at him. "Please, he's better here, I swear! I'll feed him all the time! I'll give him any medicine he needs and I'll make sure he sleeps enough-please don't take him away from me! What if he ends up back with Clint? He'll die! H-he didn't even _bathe_ him!"

"Tony is this really what you think he needs?! He's been so abused that he's lost his hearing! He's literally falling apart and your only concern is _fucking_ him!"

"No! No that's not true! It wasn't even my idea! I won't do it again! I-I didn't know he was sick!"

Bruce grabbed Tony by the wrists and squeezed, pulling him in closer, looking like something scathing was burning on the tip of his tongue, but before he could unleash it, James spoke up. 

"Stop! Don't hurt my daddy!" He squeaked, throwing back the blanket and standing from the bed. He ran to Bruce and shoved him, though his tiny weight did almost nothing to move him. His eyebrows furrowed and his jaw set angrily and despite everything, he actually did look threatening.

"Bruce _not_ hurt my daddy," he growled, pushing Bruce again. "Bruce go home, leave Bucky alone! Bucky happy now! Bruce not take it from Bucky!" He shoved Bruce one final time and the doctor dropped Tony's wrists, taking a step back. 

James rushed to curl into Tony's chest and Tony held him back tightly, looking slightly bewildered and still very nervous about the situation. James turned over his shoulder at where Bruce couldn't decide whether to laugh or scream. 

"Not take daddy Tony from Bucky. Daddy Tony not make Bucky sick, _Clint_. Bruce man dogtor hurt Bucky, _Bruce man_ go!" He shouted. 

"Woah, easy, easy buddy. Let's just all relax, okay? Let's just talk a bit," Tony tried to soothe both James and Bruce. "Why don't we all just… get dressed and sit down. Have some coffee maybe?" He suggested, knowing he still had to convince Bruce not to turn him in. "Are you done with your examination?" He asked Bruce. 

Bruce had nearly caught his breath and he nodded, running his hands through his hair again. "I'm done. We do still have to talk though, so…" he shifted his weight a few times before he reached down and grabbed his bag from the floor. "I'll just meet the two of you in the dining room."

Once Bruce was gone, Tony squeezed James tightly. "Honey! You can't just…" Tony sighed and smiled. He couldn't really be that mad. He'd stopped Bruce's angry tirade and possibly even changed his mind. He was incredibly glad that James had been able to express himself so clearly. 

He kissed James' forehead and rubbed his arms before he released him to bend down to the floor and retrieve his discarded shirt. He shook it out and helped James back into it, pulling his hair from the collar gently before ushering him from the room. 

James slipped into the bathroom as they walked past it and Tony wondered if he was going to try to go on his own, but instead, he grabbed the hairbrush from the counter and cradled it in his arms. He then lead the rest of the way to the dining room, sitting defiantly in front of Bruce with his nose in the air. 

Once Tony had sat next to him, he handed the hairbrush to Tony and turned back to Bruce.

"Tony take care of James," he said somewhat sarcastically, turning so that Tony could brush the tangles from his long hair. Tony couldn't hide the smirk that grew across his lips as he obliged the man. 

Bruce let out a scoff and shook his head as he quickly skimmed over the notes he'd written down, peering over the rim of his glasses. 

"He needs vitamin c. Oversaturate him with it, give him a supplement every time you think about it. If you do it right, this should only take a few days to clear up. For the possible kidney infection, make sure he's drinking buckets of water. Keep plenty of food available too. I'll be back in a few days. He better have gained weight by then. I want to see him making progress fast." He dropped his pencil inside of his notepad and closed it, tucking it away into his bag. "If I'm back and things aren't better, I'm taking him myself." He stood from the table and turned for the door. "And if he gets worse, call me first. I'll see you, Tony. James," he nodded as he opened the door and disappeared into the night. 

Tony sighed a breath of relief and dropped the brush to the table, wrapping his arms around James' torso tightly.

"We did it! And you need vitamins _now!_ " He exclaimed, jumping up and heading to the cupboard in his kitchen that housed supplements. He grabbed the small bottle of vitamin c and poured out three, making a note to get a bigger bottle in the morning. He grabbed James' cup of juice from dinner, which seemed like hours ago, and shook it, finding it still about half full. 

He helped James swallow the pills one at a time and then smiled. 

Bruce was giving him a second chance.

Now he just had to figure out a way to get James away from Clint permanently. He'd have to risk everything again to involve the police, but he had a friend on the inside. 

He'd be making another phone call.

In the morning.

For now, he was going to scoop two big bowls of chocolate ice cream and cuddle on the couch with this man that he'd grown way too attached to way too quickly. 

How exhausting.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thoughts? I eat comments for sustenance, tell me what you think!
> 
> What did you like or not? Anything you're hoping to see?
> 
> Thanks for reading if you made it this far!


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He lead a smiling James back to his bedroom and eased him down onto the mattress by his hips, gently lacing his fingers up underneath of the shirt and against his flesh. He knew he could probably just ask him to sit, but he was a selfish man. He wanted to soak up every bit of touch he could without it being sexual. Fingers carded through James' hair, a hand on his back, grasping his waist. He wasn't supposed to, but a part of him still wanted to make love to James, regardless of what Bruce had said and the way he'd chastised Tony.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this has taken so long. I hope the long chapter makes up for it!

James woke the next morning early and stretched, doing his best not to wake the man draped over him. James smiled and studied his sleeping face, peaceful and soft. It was the safest he remembered ever feeling and his chest swelled with warmth. The man's lips were soft and full and parted slightly, breath lightly scented of chocolate treats from the night before, and James felt his skin prickle at the memory of how they felt against his skin. His brows were relaxed and free of any worry or stress. He silently thanked Tony for not showing him how sharp his teeth were against his sensitive flesh.

Unfortunately, James' bladder was full and ached for release too.

He weighed his options and tried to decide what to do. He could wake Daddy Tony and ask for help, but he knew what Clint was like when he was woken, and he didn't want to give his new daddy a reason to be upset with him. And he'd gone so long without being struck in anger, he didn't want to break that streak either. 

He could wait until the older man woke and ask for help then, but he wasn't sure that his body would make it much longer without messing Daddy Tony's nice soft bed. 

The only logical option was to go on his own, doing his best to follow the advice his daddy had been giving him over the past few days. He'd gotten pretty good at it too, he hardly ever missed anymore, and sitting on the white seat felt more comfortable now.

He gently slid out from under his daddy's arm and crept silently to the bathroom. He pulled up his long shirt and sat carefully on the seat, holding the cloth between his teeth as he looked down at himself, spreading his legs wide. He remembered to lean forward to tilt his hips and use his hand to aim into the water to avoid a mess. When he was sure he was ready, he allowed himself relief. 

He couldn't help the way his lips curled into a proud smile as he realized that he'd done it on his own, without anyone's assistance or guidance. He let out a happy chuckle and carefully stood back up, releasing his shirt from his teeth as he did, then he quickly shut the lid and pulled the handle as he'd been taught.

He lifted up onto his tiptoes, partially to stay silent, but mostly in his excitement and pride, then quickly hurried his way back toward the bedroom.

When he rounded the corner into the hallway, he collided into a solid mass that hadn't been there before and let out a yip as he crashed to the floor.

"Jeez, buddy! Where's the rush?" A groggy Tony asked sleepily, eyes bleary and hair a mess. James gasped and whimpered. 

He'd messed up. He hadn't seen or heard Tony before he'd run straight into him. Surely the man would be upset by his carelessness and grow angry. 

James scooted backward, heart picking up speed as he thought about all the punishments he'd endured in the past for far less. He whined as he watched Tony carefully through tearful eyes. 

"Hey! It's okay bud! You don't have to be scared!" Tony exclaimed, reaching his hands out to James.

James brought an arm up over his face and waited for his expected punishment, but when Tony reached him, his hands were gentle. 

"It's okay, sweetheart. What were you doing up?" He asked softly. 

James dared to peek up over his arm and saw that Tony's eyes still looked kind and void of anger. 

"James…Bucky go potty," he answered in a tiny, nervous voice.

"You have to go potty?" Tony pressed, gently tugging James' elbow to get him to his feet. James shook his head and Tony's brows scrunched together in confusion. "Did you already go?" He finally asked. 

James shook his head and a tiny smile began to turn his lips up at the corners. 

"You did!" Tony exclaimed, beginning to share in James' excitement. His hands slid from his elbow down onto his hands, lacing their fingers together as he lead them both to the bathroom. 

"Bucky do it," James practically whispered, a part of him still afraid to speak out of turn. Clint hadn't wanted him to speak at all. He'd seen to it that he never would in his presence.

Tony took a quick look inside the porcelain bowl and then at the front of the ceramic and the floor around it. 

"No mess, and you even flushed! That's so great, honey!" Tony exclaimed, turning and pulling James into a tight embrace before he expected it. James tentatively reached his hands up and hugged Tony back, his smile growing huge. 

"Daddy happy?" He asked. He already knew that Tony was happy, but it was so nice to hear it out loud. 

"Oh, daddy is so proud of you! Let's go make you a big delicious breakfast to celebrate. What would you like?" Tony asked, loosing his embrace to lead James to the kitchen. He was going to take what Bruce had told him very seriously. Huge meals, constant snacking.

He stopped before they could leave the room and pulled his scale from it's hiding place. 

"Let's weigh you first. Just really quick," Tony coaxed, helping James up onto the little square. James clearly didn't like it, but Tony needed to know what he was working with.

"Ninety-seven pounds. How the hell did you lose one from last night?" Tony frowned worriedly. "Alright. Time to start eating like there's nothing else in the world."

Tony set James at the table with a small bowl of cereal, quickly showing him the proper way to use the spoon, before hurrying to prepare something heartier. He got bacon frying, a giant omelet that was comprised of six eggs and bits of ham and stuffed with cheese, sliced strawberries and even a few slices of toast. It took the better part of an hour, but all the while, James was munching happily on his milk and cereal. 

Tony placed James' portion on a huge plate and set it before him, rushing to pour a tall glass of milk as well. James' eyes grew wide at the sight.

"For James?" He asked, like a kid set loose in a candy store.

"Yeah babe, all for you. Do you like it?" Tony asked, prompting the man to take a bite. He ignored the way the pet name rolled off his tongue so easily. 

James quickly grabbed his fork and took a big messy bite of the omelet, groaning with delight.

"Yummy!" He exclaimed, quickly scooping another bite into his mouth. 

"Good," Tony replied, sitting down across from him to start on his own plate. "Eat as much as you can. You need to gain as much weight as possible in the next few days." He'd decided not to mention anything to the slight man about making a call to law enforcement. He didn't want to create any panic.

Tony glanced at the clock that hung on the wall in the kitchen and noted that his cleaner would be there soon. He'd rather not have to have the conversation about who James was or why he was there, so he planned to be out of the house by then. He just wasn't sure where yet. 

James managed to finish most of his plate, looking ridiculously pleased with himself once he was done. Tony was pretty happy too. He could see the way his stomach had expanded beneath his loose shirt and he hoped that he'd start gaining weight soon.

"Alright, bud," Tony almost sighed as he stood and began collecting their dishes, scraping the leftover scraps into the garbage before depositing them into the sink. "Let's go get ready for our day."

He lead a smiling James back to his bedroom and eased him down onto the mattress by his hips, gently lacing his fingers up underneath of the shirt and against his flesh. He knew he could probably just ask him to sit, but he was a selfish man. He wanted to soak up every bit of touch he could without it being sexual. Fingers carded through James' hair, a hand on his back, grasping his waist. He wasn't supposed to, but a part of him still wanted to make love to James, regardless of what Bruce had said and the way he'd chastised Tony. 

The man was beautiful and receptive and he made such gorgeous sounds. He was an excellent lover, despite everything. And deep down, Tony wished he could erase the abuse that had been done to James just by caressing his bruises and kissing his skin. 

He knew he could probably find other ways to be intimate with the man that didn't involve penetration. Maybe he'd enjoy a little bit of friction between his thighs…

Tony quickly shook the thought from his head before he could grow more than half hard in his pants. He didn't have time to figure out a different way to be intimate with James, and he really couldn't afford to risk it. Not to mention that the gap between James' thighs would make it impossible to make love to him that way. Although maybe it had nothing to do with the beautiful bag of bones on his bed, maybe he was just a dirty old pervert who'd been alone for too long. 

Tony sighed and tried to push thoughts of sex from his mind. "Let's get this off you," he murmured absently, coaxing James out of his shirt. James whined a little bit under his breath, holding his elbows tight to his body, making it hard for Tony to lift the cloth over his head. 

"C'mon bud, let's get undressed." Tony took a step closer, James' knobby knees bracketing his hips as he did, and he slid his fingers up James' sides under the shirt as he pulled it off. James held his arms close to his chest still once he was naked, knees drawn as tight as possible around Tony's strong waist. 

"Um, daddy?" James squeaked in a tiny voice, glancing from Tony's eyes, down to his chest and back again. 

"Yeah, doll?" Tony responded distractedly.

"Bucky not want fuck." He said it with trepidation in his voice, but still clearly and firmly. Tony felt guilt squeeze his heart as if the younger man had read his thoughts. 

"Oh honey, I don't-"

"Daddy Tony not be mad!" James yelped, sliding himself back a few inches and holding his hands up as if to hold Tony back. "James' tummy just too full! Bucky suck daddy's cock! Bucky still make Daddy feel good!" He panted, reaching forward and gripping Tony's semi through his pants before Tony could stop him. 

"Ahh!" Tony groaned, torn between how good it felt and how awful it made him feel. He closed his eyes and he could feel his face heating up as James began to massage him with expert hands. "Shit, James," he panted, growing to full hardness in seconds. He couldn't stop the way his hands reached out and rested on James' bare shoulders, caressing the soft skin there and he breathed heavily. 

"Feel good daddy?" James asked as he gripped Tony's erection more firmly through his pants. 

"Oh baby, oh fuck, Jesus Christ," Tony groaned, feeling like James had more control over his body than he did at that moment. He wanted to turn him over and press his face into the mattress, pull apart his cheeks and reveal that pretty little pink treasure. He wanted to lick and suck it until it started to open. He wanted to feel the silky hot tightness on his tongue, his fingers, his fat hard-

"Stop!" Tony yelled, pushing James back just a bit as he stumbled back away from the bed. "Please! We can't!" He nearly sobbed. James looked confused and just the slightest bit scared as he drew his hands back. 

"But Daddy...daddy not want Bucky?" James asked in a sweet, sad voice. 

"Oh baby," Tony panted, wiping his damp forehead with his sleeve. He gripped at the head of his fully hardened cock and squeezed it through his soft sleep pants to relieve some of the pressure. "Daddy wants Bucky _very_ much," Tony admitted, trying to control his breathing. 

"But Daddy want _fuck_ ," Bucky finished Tony's sentence, pulling his knees tightly together.

"No, I-I mean, _yes_ but…we can't do that. Not for a while. Bruce said-"

" _Bruce said!_ " James growled angrily. "Bruce said James not have Daddy Tony! Bruce said Daddy Tony bad man! Well, Bruce wrong! No listen to Bruce!" He yelled, fury written on his features and his tightly closed fists. "Daddy Tony love James!" He announced before his features quickly softened and he shrank back into himself nervously. "I-I mean…right? Daddy…l-love Bucky?" He squeaked, too scared to look Tony straight in the eye. 

"James…" Tony trailed off, unsure of what to say. It wasn't like he didn't care about James, he cared _a lot._ But he wasn't sure if it was necessarily love. They had to know each other better for that, right? And what if Tony spent all of his time and energy helping James to heal, only to find that in the end, James didn't want him? Or what if Clint came back and snatched him away? What if he never saw James again? Would it be worse to say that he loved him only to leave him feeling abandoned? 

"I…care about you very much," Tony admitted, taking a slow step closer to James. "I want you to be safe and happy…with me. But, Bruce doesn't think you're ready yet to give your consent."

"Consent?" James echoed in confusion. 

"Your… _choice_. Your _freedom._ Your ability to say "yes, I want this," without any fear or confusion."

"James not 'fraid of Daddy Tony. Not no more."

Tony smiled and slowly sank to his knees, squeezing between James' thighs again. He placed each hand gently on the outside of James' knees and licked his lips, placing loud, wet, slow kisses to James' inner thighs, close to the knee. "I'm really glad to hear that sweetheart. Do you think you _have_ to make Daddy feel good?" Tony asked softly against his skin between kisses. 

James sighed in what could only be pleasure above Tony and his response came slow. 

"Course. Daddy take care of Bucky. Bucky take care of Daddy."

"Hmmm. Well, sweetheart, that's not consent. That's obligation. You shouldn't feel like you have to give me your body as payment. You should _want_ to let me make love to you because you want it. Because it feels good. Not because you feel you owe me." Tony continued kissing inside of James' knees, letting his hands roam against his soft skin.

"But…James _do_ want daddy." Came the soft reply from above him. 

"Do you want me for me? Or because I'm not Clint?" 

Silence.

"Mmhmm. Let's get dressed now, doll face."

Tony stood and quickly crossed to his closet, pulling out a pair of cotton shorts and an old rock band t-shirt he hadn't worn in a while, taking them back to where James sat naked on the bed. He decided to forgo boxers, hoping it might make the day a little easier. He quickly pulled the shirt over James' head, helping him pull his arms through the sleeves. 

James fidgeted uncomfortably when he realized the shirt wouldn't cover his waist. 

"Here, we're going to wear shorts today, okay?" Tony stated more than asked as he knelt down to guide James' feet into the clothing. He helped James to his feet and pulled them up over his waist. 

"They fit pretty well, for you not having any meat on your bones," Tony said aloud, though it was mostly for himself. "How does that feel?" He asked, taking a step back to take the man in. 

The shirt hung loosely around his shoulders, though it was a size small, and the shorts looked a tad sloppy as they hung loose as well, but Tony didn't think he'd be able to find anything to fit better. 

"Um, good," James hesitated as he answered, not sounding entirely convincing. He fidgeted slightly, looking down at the shorts, foreign to him. "Feels funny."

"You'll get used to it, tiger. Let's get ready."

"Daddy going out?" Bucky asked, a tinge of sadness in his voice. 

"We're both going out, cupcake," he stated absently, crossing back to the closet to get himself dressed and grab a pair of socks for both of them. 

James' eyes widened and he brought his hands up, scrubbing them in anxiety as he thought over what Tony had said. 

"We have to leave in a minute. Someone will be here soon to clean the place up and I'd rather we not be in their way. I have a few ideas of where to go, don't fret." Tony smiled half-heartedly as he quickly moved to get himself dressed. 

Truthfully, he was nervous about having James out with him for the first time. He didn't really know anything about the man's habits or how he reacted to certain things. He had no way of knowing if something he did or said would trigger some kind of meltdown or episode. The day could be amazing. Or it could completely fall apart. 

Tony took a deep breath. 

"Let's get going."

Tony had to coax James into the car gently but firmly before they could even leave the driveway. He didn't seem to understand that he didn't have to ride in the trunk or on the floor of the back seat and Tony found himself growing exasperated at the prospect of him meeting the cleaner, or worse, having to have a conversation with a stranger and try to explain James'… _eccentricities._

When Tony had managed to get James into the front seat and strapped in, he got on the road. He drove slowly, still trying to decide where to go. Of course, he could always just keep driving until it was safe to be home, but he didn't really want to exert the mental effort it would take quite so early in the morning. He'd only had one cup of coffee, after all.

He sighed and glanced over at James, hunched over slightly toward the window, hands clasped tightly in his lap. He didn't look particularly relaxed, but his eyes were wide and the corners of his lips curled up into a tiny smile as he watched the world pass by, and Tony knew that somewhere deep down he was happy.

He headed for the outskirts of town. Not really that far from his house and more rural of a location, it was a much better place to let James roam a bit without prying eyes and unwanted questions. Tony pulled onto a dirt road and followed it down a hill about a half a mile. There was a small dirt parking lot surrounded by thickets of tall weeds and trees and wildflowers and Tony pulled to a stop, putting the car in park and turning off the ignition. 

The place was familiar to him, spending tons of hours there by himself or with friends growing up. There was a small metal playground located in a small clearing and a creek just farther down the path. He hadn't been there in years and Tony thought that maybe he'd like to bring James here sometime when the weather was nice to swim.

"C'mon. Let's go for a walk," Tony said, still feeling nervous about the presence of other people, but shoving it down so that he didn't frighten James. He already looked scared enough, and the parking lot was empty aside from his own car.

"Bucky?" The man said his own name as a question, turning his still-wide eyes on Tony.

"Yes?" Tony responded with confusion. "James wants to go for a walk with Tony, right?" He asked the man in return, one hand resting on the door handle and the other clutching the keys in his palm, suspended in the air. 

"U-uh…yes? Bucky allowed to go?" He repeated, growing excited as he spoke.

Tony chuckled and felt his apprehension ease.

"Yeah, buddy. You're a person. You get to make your own decisions. I'm just here to help."

James began bouncing slightly in his seat as he grinned from ear to ear, eagerly nodding his head at Tony. The older man quickly stepped from his seat and walked around the car, opening the door for James and offering his hand. James took his hand without hesitation, pulling himself to his feet. He was wearing a pair of borrowed sneakers that fit him nearly perfectly. 

Tony laced his fingers through James' and held firmly, leading the way through a small path and James giggled excitedly behind him.

"James outside!" He exclaimed happily, head flying every which way to catalog each tree and sound he heard as they went. 

"Yes, buddy. James is outside. James is _allowed_ outside because James is _not_ a dog," Tony stated clearly, hoping it would sink in soon. He hoped the man didn't feel like an animal anymore, and he hoped he'd been the reason for it. 

They had to stop at the park before they could pass it. Tony would have felt guilty if he didn't let James explore, as excited as he was to see it. 

The man seemed to be most interested in the swings, asking Tony to help him as he tried to sit on one. Tony just barely caught him as he fell backward out of one and he'd been unable to hold back his chuckles as he righted the man. 

"You have to balance, sweetheart. Hold on tight. Okay, I'm going to give you a push, alright?" Tony placed his hands on James' hips and gave him a firm but gentle push, watching his face light up with glee as he began to move. Tony couldn't help the huge grin that curled his lips up and creased his eyes either. It was so nice to see James so completely, innocently happy. 

He gave the man a few more pushes and moved to his front, watching the way his icy blue eyes shone in the morning light and the way his hair flew around him in a black halo. He really was beautiful. 

Tony sighed and just enjoyed the quiet moment, free of any responsibilities or deadlines. He'd have to go back to work soon and he knew it, but having these short few days to bond with James had been such a blessing. Especially for James, but also for Tony. He didn't realize how lonely he truly had been. He'd spend every last possible second that he could at work just to not be home alone. Once he finally did get home, he usually tried to find any possible thing to keep him occupied. He hadn't been going out, rarely leaving the house except for quick trips to the store. Just seeing Bruce had been a huge step, not having called or contacted anyone in so long.

He smiled again and turned his face up to the sun, closing his eyes and basking in the warmth.

"Daddy?" James asked in his sweet voice. Tony was really beginning to love hearing it and knew he'd have to make a call to his old friend Steve. He was an officer at the local police department, something high ranking but Tony couldn't remember. Surely he could offer some help or at the very least, advice. 

Tony turned his face back down to James and saw that the man had all but stopped moving on his swing. His legs hung down and the tips of his toes dragged slightly on the ground, but his hands held tightly to the chains above his head and he looked so…serene.

"Yes, love?" Tony responded before he could stop himself.

"James all done swinging," he smiled. Tony huffed a laugh under his breath and shook his head. The slighter man was probably afraid to stand on his own after nearly falling on his ass trying to sit down in the first place.

"Need some help, sweetheart?" He asked, offering his hand. James gave two curt nods and reached to take Tony's hand, stumbling as he landed on his feet. He fell forward into Tony's chest and giggled nervously as he regained his bearings.

"S-sorry, Daddy," he mumbled, bracing himself with his hands on Tony's chest. Tony quickly wrapped his arms around James' shoulders and squeezed him into a tight embrace, burying his nose into James' soft throat and inhaling deeply.

"Thank you, baby," he whispered, feeling a weight he hadn't known was there lifting off his chest. James groaned happily and burrowed against Tony's shoulder.

"Daddy make Bucky feel so nice," he admitted softly against Tony's shirt. Tony just smiled and hugged him for another moment.

When Tony finally let go, James held on tightly to Tony's shirt, peering up at him with his crystal blue eyes that made Tony's knees weak and fluttered his eyelashes, a carmine blush spreading across his cheeks and the bridge of his nose.

"Um, daddy can…can daddy touch James?" Tony stiffened at the question and began to pull away, but James quickly stopped him. "With lips!!" he clarified. "When daddy touch Bucky with lips…then Bucky feel…nice. _Tingles._ "

Tony's head cocked to the side while he tried to figure out just exactly what James could mean, but he came up short.

"You mean like this?" He asked as he gently ran the pad of his finger over James' full bottom lip. The corners of James' lips curled into a smile and his eyes fluttered shut as he soaked in the feeling, waiting for Tony to drop his hand again.

As soon as Tony broke the contact, James shook his head, still smiling.

"No Daddy, _lips,_ ," he attempted to clarify, but Tony's eyebrows were still scrunched in confusion.

James quickly pursed his lips, tapping them with his own finger and then leaned forward, pressing them against Tony's collar bone. He pulled away quickly and looked eagerly into Tony's eyes.

"Now Daddy?" he asked. "Here!" He instructed, tapping the hollow of his throat with the pad of his own finger.

_Oh._

_He wanted a kiss._

Tony felt his face flush, but he smiled despite himself. His chest bubbled over with happiness and pride that James was asking for affection on his own.

He quickly acquiesced to James' request and leaned forward, pressing his lips against James' throat softly, letting the tip of his tongue dart out to taste James' salty skin.

James breathed out something akin to a moan and leaned into Tony, pressing his stomach against Tony's body.

"Feels so nice, Daddy," he whispered, lacing his fingers up through the back of Tony's fluffy black hair. Tony groaned and glanced around.

They were completely alone. No one else was at the little park and no other cars were in the parking lot. Being the middle of the week, it made sense. Children were at school, adults were most likely working or too busy to just enjoy the woods.

Tony closed his eyes against his own dirty thoughts, pushing away the image of laying James down in the cool grass and absolutely wrecking him by the water.

It _was_ wrong. He shouldn't think that way about James but-

"Daddy?" James panted, turning his head to the side. "Now here?" he pointed to the sensitive spot where his pulse hammered below thin skin, just below his sharp jawline.

"Oh honey," Tony groaned even as he obliged, opening his jaw just a touch to scrape his teeth gently against his flesh. 

James squirmed and pressed farther into Tony. The older man could feel James' cock growing hard and long against him and he sucked in a sharp breath. His eyes flew open and he released James as he quickly stepped away.

He shouldn't think that way about James, but he was such a little minx.

"Honey, we can't do that, you know that," Tony hissed, a twinge angry but more than anything, disappointed. 

James' head drooped and his shoulders drew up to his ears. His inky black hair fell over his face.

"Bucky sorry, Daddy. Just feel nice when Daddy touch with lips."

"It's called kissing, and yes, it does. But kissing cannot turn into sex, okay? Please! You'll get us both in trouble!"

"But…" James dared to press, glancing around himself. "Bruce man not here. Not tell us no," he suggested slyly. Tony shook his head incredulously.

"Let's walk. Let's go see the water, okay?" He finally answered, carding a hand through his hair as he turned away from James. The little siren was going to be the death of him. 

He sighed heavily as he shoved his hands in his pockets and looked up at the trees above him. When was it enough to be considered okay? If James was willingly asking for it, then that meant Tony could touch, right? But what if he was just asking for it because he felt it's what was expected? And then what? Get arrested? Wasn't James a full-grown man? Technically? 

Maybe Tony didn't know his exact age, but he was clearly wearing the body of an adult.

What if Tony decided to switch? Let James take control in the bedroom, let him split Tony in half this time? Sure, it had been a while, but he could handle it. And then, wouldn't that mean that James had consented?

Tony let out an exasperated groan and kicked at a pebble on the path. He glanced behind him and saw that James was following, however slowly. He kept stopping to look at the flowers that dotted along the trail and trying to identify the birds that were calling from above them.

Maybe he should take a cue from James and just take a step back. He was surrounded by peace and beauty and he was barely even acknowledging it because he was stuck in his own internal turmoil.

Why did it matter so much? He'd been alone for so long, it's not like he wasn't used to _not_ having sex. And in reality, he should be more concerned with James' well-being than anything else.

Speaking of which, Tony had forgotten to give James any vitamin C tablets that morning, and it had been at least an hour since he'd last eaten. He was already neglecting duties and promises. He kicked himself for having forgotten and glanced at his watch. 

His house would be empty again soon, and clean. He couldn't wait to sit down and do nothing, relaxing his mind that just couldn't stop running, _finally._

But first, he owed James a trip around the creek. He'd brought him all the way here, and who knew if he'd ever had the privilege to see anything like it before. He owed it to the man for the way he'd been objectifying him, even if he hadn't entirely realized it.

He needed to get his mind focused on healing instead of bodily pleasures. He needed to move his focus from himself and onto James. The man needed more than Tony could ever imagine.

He just wished he knew what he was working with. He had no idea how long the pretty man had been trapped with someone so masochistic as Clint, or what he'd been through. He wanted to ask, but he wasn't sure if that would put James into a nervous breakdown, so he didn't.

Tony stopped when they reached the edge of the creek, the flat gray stones beneath his feet not quite yet warmed by the sun, seeping cold through his shoes. He watched the water babbling softly over the larger shale rocks and fallen branches and let it fill him with a sense of calm. He turned his head just in time to see the look of wonder and joy written all over James' features and it made him feel like he was doing the right thing, despite himself.

"So pretty," James whispered and he took a few steps closer tentatively.

"Have you ever been to the creek?" Tony asked curiously. James shook his head slowly and continued to fill his eyes with everything he could.

"It's beautiful, isn't it? Doesn't it sound nice? The water is still cold or I'd take you swimming."

"Swimmin'?" James repeated, straying a few feet farther down the creek bed. 

"Mmhmm. When you put on itchy shorts and splash around in the water," Tony explained with a grin.

"James like splash," he responded, toeing the edge of the gentle waves in his shoes.

"Woah bud, it's too cold yet. Not quite summer. I'll bring you back here once it's hot enough," Tony promised, though he wasn't sure that he'd be able to keep that promise. "You wanna take a little walk?"

Tony lead James down the creek, crossing a shallow part of the water on a trail of rocks that stood out to reach the other side. He laughed as James nervously traversed the damp rocks, holding his hands to help him feel safe. When they got to the other side, Tony lead him farther, to a little clearing that he remembered frequenting often in his youth. Tall, dark gray shale was stacked up high into a cliff cut by the water over decades, and at the very back of the secret pocket was a small waterfall, a few feet taller than the two of them. There was a small patch of ground in the middle that rose high enough to be dry and Tony sat with James, watching the water rushing down the waterfall. It was practically perfect and Tony wished he hadn't become so busy in his life that he'd forgotten it.

James looked like he'd been shown magic. He couldn't help moving closer to the waterfall and reaching forward to feel the cold water trickling over his fingers.

By the time Tony lead them back, they'd been there for almost two hours and the chill of being in the shade was beginning to set into Tony's bones. James could probably have stayed all day if Tony let him, but he knew that he needed to eat soon, and he was beginning to look tired. 

He ushered James back into the car, which was much easier the second time around, and reached over him to buckle his seatbelt.

"Daddy?" James squeaked quietly as Tony leaned over him.

'Hmm?" Tony responded distractedly.

"Thank you. For the nice walk. And for the… _kisses_. And for being so nice. Daddy Clint never let Bucky outside. Daddy Clint make Bucky stay in his cage. Or tie up on the table."

Tony's skin prickled with what James was telling him, but he didn't want to focus on the negatives, instead wanting to create a wonderful day for the abused man.

"You're welcome, sweetheart." He placed a warm wet kiss against his forehead, lingering for an extra minute that may not have been strictly necessary, before closing the door and crossing to the driver's side.

"We have to get you something to eat. Are you hungry yet?" He asked as he turned the key in the slot.

James shook his head, but Tony knew he had to get the man to take in _some_ calories. 

"You like chocolate?" He asked as he passed through the small town. James turned to look at Tony inquisitively but he didn't respond. Tony's mouth quirked up and he pulled into the drive-through of a fast-food restaurant. 

When the woman on the speaker began talking to them through the metal box outside the building, Tony could practically feel James' apprehension and rested his hand comfortingly on his bared knee. 

He quickly ordered two milkshakes, one chocolate and one strawberry just in case, then pulled through toward the window. 

"Just stay quiet, okay? It'll just be a minute," Tony assured. He quickly paid the woman and took the drinks, rolling the window back up before he pulled out. He felt more relaxed now that they'd had such a great morning grounding themselves in nature, that he no longer felt the pressing need to go straight home. He decided to take a slow joyride around the town, letting James take in his fill of the sights around him. 

"What's that?" James suddenly asked, breaking the comfortable silence. Tony glanced at where he was pointing and clicked his tongue.

"Produce stand. The people grow fruits and vegetables and then bring them to sell."

"Matoes?" James asked after a short pause.

"Tomatoes, yes."

"Cumbers?"

"Yes, cucumbers."

"Plums?!" James squeaked excitedly, bouncing a bit in his seat.

"Sure, plums, why not," Tony chuckled, making a mental note to stop and get James a bag of plums sometime soon.

" _Wow,_ " James breathed, sounding like he'd learned a secret. Tony laughed loudly and placed his hand back on James' knee, now wet with condensation from his plastic cup.

'Have you tried your milkshake?" He asked as he took a turn slowly around an old church with stained glass windows. James hummed in response and grabbed his untouched drink from the cupholder, slurping from the straw the way Tony had taught him.

"Mmmm!" He exclaimed, looking at Tony excitedly with frosty foam on his lips."Yummy! And cold!" He exclaimed, pink tongue poking out to lick at it.

"Try the strawberry," Tony suggested, reaching for his drink from the cupholder and offering it to James. 

The man took it eagerly and sucked a mouthful through the straw, lighting up as the flavor washed over his tongue. 

"Mmmm," he groaned again, eyes fluttering shut. Tony squeezed James' knee reflexively and licked his own lips. He quickly shook his head and breathed deeply, shaking off any less than holy thoughts before they could begin.

He was driving closer to the middle of the town and he had to stay focused. He had the ghost of an idea forming in his head. 

If he could get Steve to come outside to his car and talk to him privately without taking James from the car, he might have some kind of chance to get the man's help. Hopefully, the man wasn't off that day.

"How would you like to meet another one of my friends?" Tony suggested, an air of aloofness in his voice.

James' head flashed to Tony and his eyes were wide, though this time without any of the happiness Tony had seen all day. His mouth dropped open slowly in what looked like it might be… _devastation_.

Tony swallowed dryly and kept his eyes on the road, hoping to stay calm long enough to convince James that this wasn't a bad thing.

"Friend?" James repeated, sounding nervous.

"Yup. Just a good friend of dad-uh, of Tony's." He hated having to ask the man not to call him daddy in front of people, but it was definitely important for the situation at hand. "Just call me Tony for now, okay? Can you do that for me?"

James stiffened and turned back toward his own window, clutching his knees together tightly and holding his hands clasped between them. "Yes, sir," he whispered.

Tony wrestled with what to say to the man to convince him that everything was alright and silence fell heavily around them. James was the first to break it. 

"This friend pay daddy?" He asked, whisper-quiet voice, not bothering to look at Tony.

"What? What do you mean, sweetheart?" He asked, genuinely confused. "Pay for what?"

James was quiet for just a moment before he responded. "James only meet daddy friends if they pay enough."

Tony felt a cold chill run down his spine at the words.

"Did…did Clint sell you out to people?" Tony asked, unsure of whether or not he wanted to know the answer. James simply nodded.

"Can…" Tony choked on his apprehension before he could finish the question. "Can you...tell me about it?" He finally asked.

James turned and looked at Tony, face steely and void of any of the previous wonder it had held earlier that morning.

"Mean men. Sharp hands. Big cocks. Big _anger._ Come in and use Bucky up. Hurt Bucky. Force to do things…" He looked away then, lost in some horrible memory or another. Tony's stomach churned as he pulled into the large parking lot of the municipal building and put the car into park.

"He let them do that to you?" He whispered, face paperwhite. "How often did he do that to you?"

"Bucky not know. Whenever man give enough money, Clint send me to bedroom. Bucky not allowed in bedroom otherwise. Men hold Bucky down and push inside. They not care about Bucky. Make Bucky bleed."

Tony shifted uncomfortably in his seat as he listened, reaching slowly for his phone to contact Steve. He was more confident about his decision to bring James here now more than ever. 

"Daddy Tony so nice," he sighed, seemingly lost in his own thoughts. "Make Bucky feel good. Use fingers first, not make Bucky rip open. Daddy Tony feel so nice inside."

James turned and smiled at Tony dreamily, lost in thoughts of their lovemaking. "Bucky like Daddy Tony cock."

"Oh, honey," Tony blushed. "Those kinds of things are things you keep to yourself or between you and me, okay?" He picked up his phone and sent a quick text, asking Steve if he was at work.

"James bad?"

"No no no, babe, no! Of course not! I just mean, you should keep details about _lovemaking_ between, well… _lovers_. So, maybe don't say anything about my dick to Steve, okay? I do appreciate the confidence boost to my ego, though."

"Oh, okay."

Tony's phone dinged quietly and he checked the message distractedly, firing back a quick response when he read that Steve was indeed in the building. 

"He's going to be out in a minute so…remember, don't call me daddy. Or sir. And don't talk about…having sex. With _me_ ," he tacked on to the end, not wanting him to clam up about his abuse by saying the wrong thing.

James nodded with wide eyes and glanced back at the building, taking it in silently.

"So…Steve fuck Bucky nice too, right?" Fear trembled his voice as he spoke. 

"Oh, honey, no he's not going to fuck you. He's just going to say hi and have a little talk with us okay? You don't have to be worried."

James blinked and his mouth hung open slightly as he took in what Tony had said, sitting back slowly to wait.

It was only a few minutes before a man exited the front door of the building, heading for the parking lot. James spotted him and perked up nervously, whining low in his chest. 

He was tall, taller than Tony, and had golden blonde hair. His face was square and soft and handsome, a crooked smile quirking up his lips. His shoulders were broad and his waist was tapered and narrow and one look at the way his biceps strained his sleeves made James pray that Tony was telling the truth about him not wanting to be inside him. 

When he was just a few feet away, Tony reached over and squeezed James' knee before popping open his door.

"Stay here, I'll be right back."

He quickly rushed to meet the man before he reached the car, and James could hear their conversation faintly through his cracked window.

"Hey, Steve! Long time no see!" Tony greeted the man, throwing an arm around his shoulders in a quick but firm hug.

"Yeah! It's crazy how long you go when you never pick up a phone, right?" The man seemed to be teasing Tony and James could see the way his face flushed in response.

"Yeah, sorry man, it's just busy with work and…I'm sure you're busy too."

"Yeah. So what brings you downtown?" He asked, sliding his hands into the pockets of his blue uniform casually.

"Uh, yeah, about that. I have kind of a…a weird… _situation._ "

"Yeah?" Steve pressed gently. "Who's this?" He asked, glancing James' way nonchalantly. "New boyfriend?"

"Uhh, not exactly," Tony replied nervously, voice rising an octave or two. "He's kind of _the situation_ , all Jersey Shore jokes aside."

"I'm not following."

Tony began to explain the story in a hushed tone in case anyone happened to be in the parking lot with them or within hearing distance. James could hear most of what was being said, beginning with the phone call from Clint and all the details about how filthy he'd been, the way his bones stuck out, the cage, the cat food…

James squirmed uncomfortably, feeling his face heat up as Tony gave more and more details about what Clint had said and the things James himself had told him. Steve's face seemed to be growing more and more concerned and angry as he listened, though he did his best to keep his feelings concealed.

"So…is he…some kind of little…fetish… _friend?_ " Steve finally asked in a hushed voice, blue eyes glancing over to James surreptitiously. "Did he agree to this?"

"I…have no idea, but from what it's been like with him…it's like he's been brainwashed. He believed he was an animal when he first came to me. I don't think he had a choice in this. And I think Clint was really abusing him."

"Well…Unfortunately, he looks to be legally an adult," Steve began, rubbing his chin with a crooked finger thoughtfully. "He would have to file a complaint on his own. Technically, anything you tell me is just considered hearsay. I can have someone look into the situation under grounds of probable cause, but without any actual proof…"

"I can show you! He has bruises and scars…! He's skin and bones, the man was forcing him to eat cat food, he was afraid to eat anything real because he thought I'd beat him! That was _learned behavior_!" Tony argued, growing distraught at the thought that he might not be able to help at all. "Please, will you at least talk to him?" Tony practically begged, eyes wide with fear.

Steve sighed and glanced over at James, sitting obediently looking at him through the window with his haunted ice blue eyes. He took a few large strides toward the car and opened the door cautiously, smiling comfortingly at James.

James tensed as the door opened, scooting away from the huge man and gluing his lips shut, his shoulders pulled up close to his ears.

"Heya buddy. Tony tells me your name is James?" Steve began, kneeling down to the ground beside where James sat.

James' eyes filled with tears and he sucked in a breath, glancing with liquid eyes at Tony as he moved closer.

"It's alright, I just want to have a little chat. Tony says you have some bruises? Can you show me?" He asked, voice soft as though he were speaking to a child.

"It's okay, bud, you can show Steve," Tony assured, stepping closer behind the blonde to be a comforting presence to James.

James sucked in another breath and his lip quivered as he reached shaking arms forward toward the man, offering up the bruises that bloomed across his wrists and forearms.

"Wow. Those are pretty deep. Can you tell me how this happened?" Steve pressed gently, running a soft finger over the darkest of the bruises.

"Uh, ropes," James squeaked anxiously, glancing at Tony to be sure he was saying the right thing.

"Ropes? What happened with the ropes, James?" Steve asked, eyebrows knotting slowly into an expression that resembled anger.

James squirmed again, pulling his wrists back in close to his chest.

"Um…got tied up…"

"Why?"

"Well…" James flushed deep red and lowered his chin to his chest. "Bucky did something bad. Had to be punished."

"Who's Bucky? Is that you, James?"

The brunette nodded his head in embarrassment and fear.

"Okay. So what bad thing did you do?" Steve asked.

"Bucky…he eat the food that not meant for Bucky. Clint say Bucky selfish and sneaky. He tie Bucky up against table and hurt Bucky." James' voice was barely above a whisper as he finished his story, head drooping lower with each second.

"So…Clint is the man that's been hurting you?" Steve asked to clarify, storing the information in his head. "Does he do other things to you? I hear he makes you eat cat food, is that true?"

James nodded his head, then a smile crossed his lips.

"Not Tony! Tony such a nice man, share food with James! Let James sleep in a real bed…' his voice sounded wistful.

"What about the cage? Can you tell me about that?" Steve probed.

"Cage cold. Cage hurt Bucky's knees."

"So, you have to go into the cage? When?"

"With dad-with Clint. Make Bucky sleep in cage, when Bucky be bad he go in… Bucky not like cage. Tony not let James go inside."

"That's good to hear. How long have you been with Clint, do you think?"

"Mm…long time. Bucky not remember before. Clint take Bucky home, take away food and clothes. Give to other men like presents."

"What do you mean by that?" Steve asked, picking up the last detail acutely.

James began to slowly move from his seat, pushing Steve backward until he was forced to stand, and then he turned around. He spread his legs and bent at the waist, laying his chest impossibly flat against the seat of the car and offering himself to Steve. 

"James-!" Tony yelped, but Steve cut him off, holding up one arm to keep him back.

"Stand up please, James," he commanded calmly, though he flushed a deep red. James did as he was told and looked up at Steve, fidgeting with the hem of his shorts nervously.

"Can you show me anything else?"

James glanced at Tony, who nodded in encouragement.

"Show him your tummy," Tony suggested. James blushed again but did as he was told, not looking at Steve as he slid his shirt up.

"Look how thin he is. That's from not eating anything but cat food. And look at those bruises all over his ribs-" Tony pointed out.

Steve took a good look at the state of James but didn't respond.

"So…James…Did you ever tell Clint that you wanted to be treated this way? Or did you ever tell him that you liked it? Did you make some kind of agreement?" Steve asked, taking in his scruffy appearance and factoring in the way he spoke like a child.

James dropped his shirt and twisted it nervously in his hands, shifting his weight from foot to foot. He shook his head no and kept his gaze down on his borrowed shoes. 

"So how did you end up with Clint?"

"Clint buy Bucky. From building that sell animal-boys. Clint not happy with Bucky. Wanted something prettier. So he give Bucky away and use Bucky too hard."

"He bought you?" When? And from who?"

"Men who train Bucky. Not to tell owner no. Do as owner say. Open throat and offer hole. Say thank you for every smack."

"Well, how did those men get you? Were you a child?" Steve took a step closer as he asked.

"Bucky not remember. Bucky think he lost..." he sighed heavily. "Bucky not want talk no more," he finally breathed, feeling just a bit exhausted.

"You did a really good job, buddy. I'm proud of you," Steve smiled at him, placing one huge hand gently on his bony shoulder. Tony slid around Steve and gently placed his hand on James' arm.

"Good job, sweetheart. Want to sit down?" he suggested, easing James back into his seat. "I'll be right back, okay? Hang tight." He closed the door gently and turned back to Steve. 

"So what do you think? What should I do?" he asked with worried eyes. 

"Honestly, I'm not sure. The story seems to add up and…it's fucked up but…unless he wants to press charges, there's not much we can do. There's still no physical proof of anything."

"But the bruises-!"

"Could have happened on accident. Could have happened from being a little too rough in bed, but there's no proof that he didn't ask for it, or consent."

_Consent._

_There was that word again._

"But…what do I do?! Clint wants to take him back at the end of next week! I _can't_ let him go back to that! I _can't!_ " Tony heaved gulping breaths of air, trying his best to remain calm.

"Best I can say is, if he doesn't want to go, he needs to express it clearly. Could be helpful to have a witness around. Or maybe get some concrete evidence of abuse and we can get the guy put away. As it is now, he's just a man with an eating disorder and some heavy kinks. What is it that you want from this relationship, anyway?" Steve inquired. "You said he's not your boyfriend. Are you sleeping with him?"

Tony blushed and glanced away, shifting his weight. He wasn't entirely sure how to answer Steve's first question, and he really didn't want to answer the second. 

"I….I just want him to be safe. I want…want him to stay with me," he admitted quietly after a pause.

"Well…then _ask_ him. He's an adult. No one can _legally_ own him without his consent. And I'm here for you both. I gotta get back to work now. Let me know if I can help you in any way, seriously Tony. I want to help on this."

Tony nodded his head but he felt numb, waves of blood rushing loudly in his ears.

_He was fucked._

Tony nodded demurely, lost in his thoughts before leaning forward to give the man a quick farewell hug.

"Let's get some dinner some time," Steve offered with a smile on his face and meaning in his eyes. "The three of us. We can chat more."

Tony thanked the tall blonde and crossed back to the driver's side of the car, sitting back into his seat and staring absently through the windshield. James sat quietly watching, waiting for him to come back.

They spent most of the ride back to Tony's house in silence, the older man stealing glances at James every now and again. When they arrived back home, Tony let them in and retrieved a few little white vitamin c tablets from the cupboard and a glass of milk, helping James to swallow them, then he removed both of their shoes and crossed to the living room. He sank down onto the couch and sighed heavily, laying back and throwing his feet up.

James quietly padded into the living room after him, climbing into his lap delicately and curling up against his chest. Tony wrapped his arms around the man and closed his eyes. 

May as well take a nap. His brain was frazzled from the conversation with Steve and it felt like frayed electrical wires dancing and pulsing in his skull.

He was going to figure this out if it were the last thing he did.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! 
> 
> Since you made it this far, why not leave a comment? 🤗
> 
> What did you think?


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Water had settled in his ears and he felt it sliding back and forth, heightening his anxiety. His eyes were filled with tears, clouding his vision and he clutched at the tub behind him as he sobbed, as though it were a life raft.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for coming back! I'll leave the notes at the bottom so you can get right to the story!
> 
> *Beware the new tags! Stay safe!

Tony woke up hot. Sweating.

He peered through one bleary eye and saw that James still lay on his chest, face red and glistening with a thin sheen of sweat, but his eyes were still closed and Tony assumed he must still be sleeping. 

He took a deep breath and relaxed, wishing his arms were long enough to reach a window. When the sleep fog finally began to clear from his brain, he realized that James was moving atop him.

Tony focused on James' movements and realized that they were incredibly _rhythmic._ He peeped through one eye again and realized that it was James' hips that were swaying. Up, back down, pressing against Tony's hip, up again, pressing back down harder. The man let out a hot puff of air and groaned, his fingers tightening around Tony's shirt and pinching at his chest.

James groaned again, a breathy sound that was remarkably similar to Tony's name, and the older man blushed.

Was he having a wet dream? Or was he awake and under the impression that Tony was asleep? Either way, the thrill of it went straight to Tony's dick and he felt like a dirty old man.

He lay his head back slowly against the couch and watched James, feeling himself growing hard in his pants, and he hoped James couldn't feel it.

James rutted against Tony's hard thigh, allowing his erection to rub first on one side, then angling his hips to rub against the other side. It felt like heaven, teasing through the cotton shorts he wore, unused to the feel of the soft fabric wrapping his sensitive cock. He groaned again, praising his new daddy under his breath.

He pulled his hips up higher, pressing against him harder and feeling the rush of pleasure warming his belly. He wished he could ask Daddy Tony for pleasure of the same caliber as their first time together, but he knew the older man was scared by what Bruce had said, and he didn't dare ask for pleasures from a daddy that already gave him so much.

Suddenly, he felt Tony moving, just slightly, and slowly. He peeked his eyes open to see if he'd accidentally woken the man, but his eyes were closed, so James paused, shaking in his restraint, and waited to be sure he fell back asleep before beginning his movements again. He knew Clint would have beat him senseless for being so bold and selfish, but he could only hope Tony would either not find out, or would have mercy on him when he discovered the mess later.

He could feel his pleasure peaking, sweating and panting as he chased that feeling, the one he'd been denied for so long; pleasure without pain. Suddenly, he felt Tony's big hand on his lower back and he jumped with a gasp, head flying up to look at the man's face, but his eyes were still closed. His movements stilled for just a moment, but Tony's hand gently pressed his hips down, pressing purposefully to guide James' hips. 

James let out a shaky breath and allowed Tony to guide his movements, his hand crawling lower down to his ass and spreading to grip him as though it were a handle. He felt Tony's fingers clutch into the meat of his ass, his middle finger pressing into the cleft and pressing against his hole and he shuddered, his hips jerking with the jolt of electricity he felt.

Suddenly, Tony was guiding his hips hard and fast, rolling like waves, and James couldn't hold back the cry he let out as his cummies were suddenly within reach. He felt Tony's finger press harder against his entrance, beginning to breach him through the soft fabric of his clothes.

"C'mon baby," he heard the man whisper, watching as his free hand reached for his own cock, squeezing tightly through his pants. "Come for daddy." He pressed James' spine harder, and James let out a wail as he wiggled and humped against Tony, finally reaching his release.

"Daddy!" He cried, looking back up to see the man's eyes still closed, though his brows were furrowed and his face was red and hot. "Oh, Daddy," he panted, twitching and shaking as his waves of pleasure washed over him and slowly receded. He watched Tony's face and finally, he cracked his eyes open, shining pools of darkness that seemed to be filled with nothing but James.

"Daddy," James began quietly, beginning to feel bashful and nervous. "I…Bucky so sorry, Daddy. Bucky not mean it. Bucky cock hurt when he sleep and-"

"It's okay," Tony grumbled in a low, gravelly voice, releasing the grip he had on the man's ass. "It's normal. Did that feel good?"

James smiled sheepishly and nodded. "Very good, Daddy."

"Yeah? Did you get your cummies baby?"

James giggled and buried his face in Tony's chest, nodding. "What about you, daddy? Bucky help daddy get cummies?"

"No, baby. Not today," Tony responded, looking away slightly and reluctantly releasing his grip on his own hard cock. James' face fell, but Tony smiled and lifted his chin with a gentle hand at his jaw. "You don't have to be upset. I just don't think it's quite a good idea yet."

James whined but Tony just laughed, pushing James gently up so that he could sit up. "I think you should take a bath. And I should make you something to eat."

Tony slowly sat up, stretching and yawning as he did, then he stood, adjusting himself in his pants, and lead James to the bathroom.

"I'll start the water for you and you can have some soak time, then I'll be back to wash you. How's that sound?" He asked, turning the knobs on the large stand-alone tub in the middle of the bathroom. Hot water began filling it and Tony quickly plugged it.

"Uh, o-okay," James replied, feeling a combination of emotions all boiling into a soup inside him. Happiness filled his body like sunshine, warming him from the inside out. The soft, enveloping feeling of waking refreshed in the early afternoon. The shy, slightly embarrassed feeling of being caught in the middle of doing something naughty.

He smiled sheepishly and watched as Tony poured a bit of something that foamed into the water, mesmerized by the way it turned the water a shimmering pink and baby blue with the suds.

"Can you get undressed for me? Or do you need my help?" Tony asked, easy and relaxed, for the most part.

He couldn't stop thinking about what he'd woken up to and it kept his emotions, as well as his hormones raging inside him. He still stood uncomfortably hard in his jeans and he did his best to keep it discreet, but he couldn't wait for a precious second alone while James was in the bathtub. 

"I think I can do it," he answered, sounding shockingly clear and much less… _childlike._

"Okay…" Tony responded, trying not to give away his piqued interest as he studied the man for any signs of a difference in body language or expression, finding none.

He watched as James began to strip off his shirt, his hands still held at an awkward angle from crawling on his knuckles for so long in the past, and he tossed it to the floor. Tony could see the carmine blush still spread across James' chest and shoulders and his own throbbing cock reminded him that he wanted to take this time alone. 

"Okay, well…if you need anything, just call for me, alright?" Tony mumbled as he left the bathroom, leaving the door open. "Okay, daddy," James' soft voice called back. 

Tony wondered to himself if James had ever sounded so lucid before and if he'd just missed it, or if this was a new development. Maybe he'd just been imagining things.

He slowly walked to the kitchen, glancing around himself wondering what to make for lunch absently before settling at the sink. He looked in to see that it was empty of dishes, the counters wiped and soaps and paper towels fully restocked. 

Without thinking, he pulled a few paper towels from the holder on the counter and unzipped his jeans with his free hand. His hard cock sprung from the opening and pressed against his boxers, and he caressed himself gently as he thought about James.

The poor man had been through so much. From what Tony had gathered listening to James speak with Steve, he'd possibly been kidnapped, been sold to Clint like groceries, used against his will sexually and who knew how else, sold to other men… 

He'd had a lifetime of strife, rape, pain. 

Tony felt guilt eating him from the inside out as he thought about the man now. Tall and too skinny, but with a hint of muscle definition. 

But those beautiful eyes. Eyes that held innocence and sweetness and questioning. Lips that were full and plush and willing to be kissed. Hair that was soft and shiny and dark and that Tony just wanted to _pull._

He was so tight too, and hot. Tony remembered the way his insides squeezed and pulled at Tony's cock as if he couldn't be satisfied, the way he'd cried out in absolute ecstasy when Tony was giving him moderate sex at best, and he wondered what he could make the man sound like when he really gave it his all. 

He found himself wondering what it could have been like that morning to lay him down by the water, open him up and take him apart piece by piece. What would he be like in the summer, when the air was hot and Tony lead him into the water? Holding him by his hips and fucking into him in the middle of the creek, in the deepest part?

He bit back a groan as he spilled over his hand, remembering the paper towels in his other hand a moment too late and he felt his face blush hot in lust, pleasure, and shame. 

He _wanted_ James. 

But he also wanted to _love_ James. 

He wanted to learn every curve and plane of his body, wanted to learn the things that lit up his soul. He wanted to learn the best way to put a smile on his face and the way he liked to be held when he was scared. 

"Is that for Bucky?" He heard from his side, soft but ringing loud in the empty silence. Tony jumped and quickly tucked himself away as he looked over and saw James standing there, staring at his crotch. 

"James! You're supposed to be in the tub!" Tony yelped, embarrassed and avoiding the question. 

"Um…James couldn't take off clothes," he mumbled, gripping at the waistband of the cotton article of clothing, now twisted and pulled off-kilter. 

"Oh, oh buddy, I'm sorry. I thought you had it," Tony replied, quickly moving to help the man slide his shorts down his legs. 

"Bucky could help daddy," he stated as Tony bent before him. Tony flushed and didn't respond. "Bucky good at making daddies feel good. Bucky a good fuckhole."

"Honey!" Tony quickly admonished, stopping his line of thought. "Don't talk like that about yourself! You're not a sex toy! You're much more than that!" He assured, thanking the gods that the man couldn't read minds. "Why don't you go sit and play in the bath and I'll figure out what to make for lunch?" He repeated, trying to remove everyone's minds from thoughts of sex. He didn't know why he was so obsessed lately. 

James nodded his head and quietly padded his way to the bathroom and a moment later Tony could hear him getting into the water, sighing as he scrubbed his hands over his face. 

"Fuck," he muttered as he began to poke around the kitchen. 

James settled into the water, just hot enough to be considered too hot. Daddy Tony's bath was deep and wide, with more than enough room for maybe even two people. James had never been allowed the luxury of a bath with Daddy Clint, and he appreciated that not only did Daddy Tony trust him to be alone, but he gave him the gift of the silky, colorful scented bubbles as well.

Still, he couldn't help but find himself at a loss for what to do with himself. He wasn't sure if he trusted himself enough to try washing with Daddy Tony's expensive-looking soaps, for fear of dropping them or spilling them. Daddy Clint had always reminded him of how clumsy he was. 

Instead, he waved his hands back and forth under the water and watched the way the water rippled with his movements, sending bubbles running this way and that. He smiled at the serene calm of it, something he'd never been allowed before either. 

He could feel the tacky, drying evidence of his cummies on his daddy parts re-wetting in the water and he turned his attention to it. It wasn't the most comfortable feeling, and he took his curled knuckles and gently scraped against it, attempting to remove it from his skin. He smiled when it easily washed off and he sighed, allowing himself to relax in the water, leaning his head back against the bath and closing his eyes.

The ends of his long hair began to float around him, tickling the tops of his shoulders, and he took a deep breath, feeling the warm clutches of sleep still leaving him. 

He sank down another inch, the water rising to his throat and he felt a tiny shock of fear pierce through his heart. He opened his eyes quickly, reassuring himself that he was safe and sound in Tony's home, in Tony's bath. 

He took another deep breath and sank down until the water lapped at his chin, covering his ears and filling them with the sound of peace. He allowed his body to float in the water, relaxing every limb and he sighed contentedly. 

_"You think you deserve water?" The tall, angry man growled in his ear. James trembled and whimpered, tears rolling down his cheeks in a steady stream. He had been taught not to respond by now, but he wouldn't be able to even if he wanted._

_Clint tightened his grip around James' throat, pressing his front harder into James' bare back._

_"I know you snuck water from that glass while I had my back turned. Nobody said you could have that water, did they?" He growled louder, shaking James by the throat he clutched so tightly. James couldn't make a squeak through the iron tight grip, just clutched at the metal sink before him and prayed for it to be over._

_Clint reached up then, grabbing a fistful of James' shaggy hair and slammed his head down onto the counter beside the cold metal sink. The thud hurt against his temple, but it was nothing compared to what Clint had given him before now._

_"You want water so bad, you're going to get some now," Clint bit out in a menacing tone. He used the hand that wasn't currently pressing James' skull into the unforgiving counter and flipped on the faucet head, sending a steady stream of cold water spraying and echoing in the cold metal sink._

_James let out a frightened yelp and tried to squirm out from under the man's grip, but he held him pinned._

_"What's the matter? Don't want water anymore? Awe isn't that too bad." Clint clutched James' chin and throat with one hand and his hair with the other still and pulled him back up from the counter, yanking him by the head toward the rushing water._

_James let out a long, piercing shriek and felt his terror take over, thrashing to get away with his life._

_"Shut the fuck up!" Clint roared, forcing James' head under the frigid water._

_James panicked, water rushing over his scalp so cold it nearly burned, wrapping its way around his face and down his forehead, invading his eyes and nostrils. He opened his mouth and took a huge panicked breath of air, quickly realizing that the water held no mercy. He choked and sputtered the water from his lungs, struggling to turn his head to get a good breath of air._

_Behind him, Clint said something that sounded mean and punishing, but he couldn't hear what it was over the sound of his heart jackhammering out of his chest and the water filling his ears._

_The man finally pulled James from under the water and yanked his face up, wrapping his big hand around his forehead and forcing his head back._

_James shivered uncontrollably as freezing water dripped down his neck and chest, dripping onto the floor and splashing his bare feet. He gasped and sobbed for breath, crying for mercy._

_"Is that not enough, dog? Need some more?" Clint asked cruelly, ignoring the way James' eyes widened in fear, and the way he seemed to say no with every part of him except his mouth. Clint grabbed James' hip and manhandled him until he was pressed up against the sink, sharp bones digging in painfully against the hard surface. He pressed his front against him tightly, keeping him pinned uncomfortably._

_James heard the familiar sound of Clint's zipper sliding down and felt the motions of his cock being pulled into the open and he whimpered, feeling a hot tear roll down his now frigid skin._

_Once again, his back arched as he let out a shrill cry, spine protruding from his skin shallowly. Clint kept a harsh grip on his hair, holding his head where it was and quickly landed a hard punch to the side of James' ribs._

_"Shut your mouth, whore. You're nothing but my pet! My plaything! Now stay still and shut up, and just take what I give you!" Clint practically screamed._

_James' muscles tensed and he choked out a sob, trying to forget the thudding pain in his ribs and focus on staying alive._

_The sound of the water changed, catching James' attention, and he peered through his tear-swollen grey-blue eyes and saw a horrifying sight._

_Clint had put the stopper in the drain, filling the sink nearly to the brim with icy cold water. The taller man must have noticed it too because he reached around James and turned the faucet off._

_James could hear his big, gulping breaths echoing off the water in front of him, his tears rippling on the surface and he began to shake again, trying his best to keep silent and still._

_Clint reached back down to his pelvis behind James, and the naked man felt the hot, damp nudge of Clint's fat cock-head nudging at his cheeks insistently._

_His first instinct was to clench up, tighten every muscle and shut down, but he knew by now that it would be worse for him that way in the end. He forced himself to breathe deeply and relaxed his muscles. Clint didn't give him much time to do it, forcing in just the tip right as James managed to relax and the brunette let out a strangled sound of pain, clenching his teeth tightly to hold it in._

_"You're a thief. You deserve this pain," Clint whispered cruelly in his ear._

_James hadn't meant to cause any harm, he'd just been so_ thirsty. _His water bowl had been bone dry and Clint asleep on the couch, but he knew better than to try to fill it on his own. He'd have made too big of a mess trying to do it anyway, and Clint would have been upset with him about that, too._

_So he'd crept silently from the cold corner where he'd been told to lie down and eyed Clint's cup on the coffee table with fear in his gut and thirst in his mind._

_He'd been careful, tipping the cup just enough to make lapping at the water and sucking it between his lips easier. But in his thirst, he'd gotten carried away, drinking most of it down. When Clint had woken, he'd noticed immediately._

_That was when James had learned not to fall for the traps._

_"Ungrateful little slut. You're going to learn your lesson today."_

_James' heart had squeezed in fear, his eyes shutting tightly as Clint began to let loose on his dry, abused hole, using him as nothing more than a toy._

_The worst part wasn't the pain or humiliation of being used against his will. It wasn't not being allowed to use his voice to ask Clint to stop or cry for help._

_It was when Clint began to push James' head down, his breaths echoing louder against the water until his face was submerged._

_Clint pushed his head further into the freezing water, until his face hit the bottom, cold metal scraping against his nose. Water invaded his ears painfully, sending shocks of pain through his head. James almost couldn't feel the assault between his legs._

_Clint pulled his head from the water when James' fight began to weaken, allowing the man two huge gulps of air before shoving him back under._

_James had screamed into the water, beginning to thrash and buck wildly. Clint pulled him out again._

_"That feels good, baby. Keep struggling like that."_

_Back into the water._

"James!"

James bolted upright with a gasp and a cry, splashing water all over the bathroom floor as he struggled to pull himself over the edge of the bath.

"No!" the feral scream ripped from his throat like it had a mind of its own and he felt big warm hands grip his shoulders, holding him still.

"Hey! It's okay, it's me!"

James let out a wordless screech, tearing his arms from the hands that held him, pressing himself back until he slammed the other side of the tub.

Water had settled in his ears and he felt it sliding back and forth, heightening his anxiety. His eyes were filled with tears, clouding his vision and he clutched at the tub behind him as he sobbed, as though it were a life raft.

"Honey! James, it's okay, it's Tony! Are you okay, honey? What happened?"

James heard the soft, soothing voice through his terror and dared to peek his eyes open, seeing the blurry form of a dark-haired man above him.

"Tony?" James' shaky voice rang out quietly and he quickly began to sit up, floating back toward the side of the bath where Tony perched.

Tony reached out hesitantly and, when James didn't move or flinch away, he ever so gently cupped James' face in his hands, like cradling a tiny bird.

"Sweetheart, what happened? Tell me what's wrong, please!" He slid one hand from James' face and began to peel back the wet tendrils of hair that had attached themselves over James' skin.

James whined softly and shook his head, gripping Tony's wrists and holding them firmly where they were, pressing his face against them.

"Do you wanna get out?" Tony asked softly, and James nodded, still not loosing Tony.

"Okay, I got you, buddy." Tony gently but forcefully moved his hands, skimming down James' arms to his wrists, taking his hands firmly. He gently pulled him to his feet, guiding the man from the tub and onto the fluffy bath mat. 

He quickly reached over and grabbed a clean towel from the bar that was nailed to the wall and wrapped it around James' shoulders like a child, rubbing him and hugging him through it.

"Are you okay sweetheart?" Tony asked again. "Did you fall asleep?"

James was quiet for a moment, trembling in Tony's arms before he finally nodded his head.

"Bad dream," he finally uttered. Tony nodded as he dried the man, toweling off his hair before wrapping him once again.

"Okay. Do you want to go have lunch? It's all ready for you."

James looked up at Tony with wide eyes before looking down at himself.

"Get dressed?" He asked in a tiny voice, nervous because of the flash of memory he'd had. He couldn't stand the thought of being naked again right now. "Please get dressed? Please?" He begged.

"Of course! Of course, I'll get you something extra comfy." Tony left James, heading to his bedroom quickly to retrieve soft sweat pants and his favorite, most worm out ZZ Top sweatshirt. 

"Here, babe," Tony called as he entered the room. He helped the man step into the pants and then pulled the sweatshirt over James' head. He was swimming in it, but he seemed to feel more comfortable now. He wrapped his hands in the length of sleeve that drooped past his arms and hugged himself, taking deep breaths of the smell of it. He swayed back and forth for a moment, before opening his bright eyes to smile at Tony. 

"Thank you," he whispered. Tony smiled back, sticking his hands in his pockets. He didn't want to seem overbearing or trigger anything else.

"I heard you crying from the kitchen," Tony finally interjected after it had been quiet for a minute. "Are you sure you're okay?"

James just nodded, dropping his gaze to the floor. Tony could see the dark circles under his eyes and knew he'd been through something emotionally trying, but he wasn't going to press the man just then.

"Hey, have you ever shaved?" Tony asked suddenly, catching James' attention and drawing his eyes back up in a questioning glance. Tony smiled when he saw the ghosts of whatever was haunting James leave, even for just a moment.

"Shaved? You know, your face?" He repeated, stepping over to the sink that rested against the wall and pulling his grooming kit slowly from beneath it. He looked at James over his shoulder through the mirror and unzipped it at a slow pace, not wanting to scare the easily frightened man. He saw James standing taller to peek over his shoulder and he grinned. He pulled out his electric beard trimmer and plugged it into the wall, placing a guard over the blade.

"Like this," he said softly, flipping the switch to the on position. He watched James' face in the mirror as it started buzzing and noticed the way his eyes grew round at the sound. He flinched but didn't step back, curiosity taking over.

Tony took that as a good sign and slowly lifted it to his neck, trimming down the hairs that had grown over the past few days, bringing his ornate beard back into line.

"See? How's it look?" He slowly lifted it to his cheekbones, gliding along the line that he'd perfectly manicured and cutting off those that had strayed. He watched James through the mirror still.

"Look…handsome, daddy." James took a small step forward to see what Tony would do with the noisy thing next.

Tony flipped the switch off and the tool fell silent. He turned slowly toward James with the razor still in his hand.

"Wanna try?" He asked softly. James swallowed, then nodded in the affirmative.

Tony coaxed him closer with a wave and James stood nervously before him, glancing from the black plastic tool and back to Tony.

"It doesn't hurt. Feels kinda nice. Ready?" He asked, raising the razor toward James.

James let out a whine under his breath, but closed his eyes and jutted his jaw out. Tony chuckled as he turned the razor back on and took James' chin gently in his hand.

He moved swiftly, but not fast enough to scare the timid man, quickly going over all the scraggly, unkempt hairs on his face as evenly as possible.

"There. _Wow_ ," Tony breathed, turning James' face this way and that to see. "You look great."

He stepped aside and let James look into the mirror. He reached up and fingered the short hairs on his face with careful fingertips, looking at himself with wonder.

"That's a good face you got there, kid."

James smiled and looked at Tony, eyes shining happily.

"Handsome, daddy?" He asked in a shy voice.

"Very handsome, sweetheart. Let's go eat."

James ate lunch in relative silence, Tony eating across from him watching his every expression. The man seemed to be battling with his own inner demons, and Tony wished he could help, but he didn't want to seem too pushy.

When they'd finished, Tony had set James in the living room, a cartoon movie playing and an old coloring book and crayons that he'd found set before him on the table.

He left the man to be for a bit and pondered over the advice he'd gotten from first Bruce and then Steve.

None of it had been very helpful in the long run. He had just over a week to help the poor, skinny man in his living room and he felt like time was slipping through his fingers.

A few days later, Tony had gotten James dressed and fed and they were relaxing comfortably together on the couch when he heard a knock at his door. James jumped and looked at Tony with what might be fear in his eyes, but the older man had shushed him and gone to answer it.

"Steve! Surprised to see you here, what's up?" Tony asked, feeling a bit nervous himself at the sight of the broad blonde man.

"I brought some dinner. I know it's early but…I wanted to talk more. With both of you, but…mostly with James. We can heat this up later if you want."

Tony noticed the large greasy brown bag the man held in his hand and smelled the distinct aroma of Chinese food.

"We just had lunch, but we can put that away for now. I'd love to talk though. Been feeling kinda hopeless about this, honestly," Tony admitted, moving aside to let the man through the door.

"I can see that. I know I wasn't a whole lot of help before but, really, he has to do this himself. _Legally._ "

Tony sighed as he closed the door behind Steve and watched as the man crossed to his fridge, storing the bag of food for later. He glanced over at the couch and saw James' big pretty eyes peering curiously over the back at them.

Tony couldn't help but chuckle. 

"You wanna come over here, buddy? Say hi to Steve?" Tony coaxed. James nodded his head and slunk down out of sight, re-emerging a moment later nearly crawling on the floor.

"It's okay, buddy, you don't have to be scared," Tony assured, holding his hand out as though he were coaxing over a stray cat. 

James rushed to his side, grabbing his leg and hiding his face behind it shyly. Tony's face flushed and he glanced at Steve with fear-wide eyes, nervous about the way the man would respond to James' actions.

Steve smiled warmly down at James, hiding like a shy child, and he knelt down to the man's level calmly. 

"Hey, pal. I brought you something," he grinned, pulling a small wrapper from his pocket. He held the offering out to James in an open hand and waited for the man to look.

When James' eye peeked out from behind Tony's leg again, he immediately spotted the small thing in Steve's hand, and curiosity got the better of him.  
He leaned out, glancing from the thing in Steve's big hand, back up to Steve's kind blue eyes and he chanced a step forward, still gripping Tony's pant leg. 

When Steve didn't move, waiting patiently knelt down to the floor, James cautiously let go of Tony's pants and slunk closer. 

"It's candy. Do you like candy?" Steve asked in a soft voice, eyes not leaving James' face. James shifted his eyes to Steve's again before reaching out to take the thing slowly from his hand. His fingertips lightly grazed across Steve's palm and the taller blonde shivered. 

"Like candy?" James repeated with an undertone in his voice that sounded almost robotic. He turned the thing over and over in his hands, holding it close to his face and sniffing at it in confusion. 

Tony watched the scene before him, nerves frazzled and heart clenched in worry. Still, it was overshadowed by the joy he felt at James meeting someone new, and that new person being someone he truly trusted. 

"Can I help you open it, buddy?" Steve called softly, holding his hand out to take the candy back. James glanced at the empty hand and his eyes grew wide, thrusting the candy back into the man's big paw and rushing back to the safety of Tony's leg with a whimper.

"Bucky not bad, Bucky not bad," he murmured to himself over and over, rocking back and forth slightly as he hunched as close to the ground as possible. His fingers gripped so tightly, Tony was sure there'd be a bruise later.

Tony opened his mouth to comfort the man, but Steve spoke before he could get a word out. 

"It's okay. James is a good boy." He peeled the wrapper from the candy quickly to reveal a bright blue rectangle. "It's taffy. It's my favorite. Want to taste?" He offered again, sitting down on the floor and sprawling out, looking as relaxed as he could be. 

Tony was astonished by the man before him. Somehow it seemed like Steve really understood James. At least, he didn't seem shocked by his wild, animal-like qualities. 

He smiled warmly at James still and waved the candy a bit in the air. "C'mon bud, I'm going to have to eat it soon if you don't," he teased playfully. 

"It's okay, honey," Tony soothed, stroking his hand down the lengths of James' long soft hair. "Steve won't hurt you."

James looked up to Tony as he spoke, then looked back at Steve on the floor. The man had lain down flat on the floor, still holding his hand out toward James.

The brunette man shuffled forward again and leaned in, sniffing at the blue candy that Steve held out. He quickly leaned forward and gripped it with his teeth, pulling it away from Steve and taking a small bite, grabbing the rest with his hands.

He chewed uncertainly for just a moment, looking like a dog with too much peanut butter in its mouth, then a big smile crossed his face and he hummed with happiness.

"Like it? Blue is my favorite flavor," Steve smiled back. James nodded his head excitedly and took a bigger bite of the candy, looking back at Tony happily.

Tony chuckled when he saw James' lips already turning blue.

"Alright, bud, let's sit at the table, is that okay?" Tony asked the scrawny man. James nodded and quickly shuffled to his spot at the table, still working on his candy.

Tony reached his hand out to help Steve from the floor, then held firm to his wrist once he was standing. He pulled him a little closer and leaned into his ear, speaking quietly.

"You're good with him. Have you had a case like this before?"

Steve shrugged a little and murmured, "Something like it." Tony didn't press for more details.

The two men quickly moved to join James at the table, Steve moving a chair closer to the man and turning it around before he sat.

"I have more candy if you want, but you have to answer some questions for me, okay?" Steve asked, a warm smile still lighting his face.

James nodded and finished the piece of candy that he'd already been given, watching Steve with much less apprehension.

"Have you ever had candy before?" Steve asked with an easy air.

"Not think so. Not remember," James answered honestly around the sticky wad of taffy in his mouth.

"Clint never gave you candy?" Steve asked, working his way up to the harder questions.

"Not Clint, no way," James shook his head.

"Why no way?"

"Clint not give nice things."

"What kind of things does Clint give you?"

James paused as he thought, and a wry smile crossed his face. "Bruises."

"Bruises," Steve repeated. "How does he bruise you?"

"Hurt Bucky."

"How does he hurt you?" Steve pressed, leaning in just a bit more.

"Hands. Fists. Daddy parts."

"Daddy parts? You mean, like his private areas?"

James hummed a noise that sounded like agreement and gripped his own lap as if to demonstrate what he meant.

"Hurt James' daddy parts, too."

"He hurts you there? Can you tell me how he hurts you?"

Tony shifted uncomfortably in his seat, but he kept quiet. A cold sweat broke out on his forehead. He hadn't known that Steve was coming and so hadn't had time to remind James not to talk about the sexual things he'd already done with him.

He wasn't sure how Steve would react, but he hoped it wouldn't be the same way Bruce had reacted. He knew it was going to come out sooner or later though, and a huge part of him felt guilty.

"Hit. Bite."

"He bites your penis?" Steve repeated, shock in his voice before he could school it into something more neutral.

James nodded. "Squeeze James too hard. Put in cage."

"Puts James in a cage?" Steve asked to clarify.

"Yes, and James' cock in cage, too. He hurt James when James feel dirty. Tell him he slutty boy. Not deserve nice things."

Steve grimaced for a split second before taking a deep breath and pulling his smile back on.

James began to squirm where he sat, looking uncomfortable talking about his past traumas.

"You're doing really good, champ. Would you like another piece of candy?" Steve asked, noting how tense he was growing.

James grinned and nodded excitedly, his lips and tongue still blue from the first piece. Steve chuckled and pulled another piece from his pocket, green apple flavored this time.

"Here," Steve quickly pulled the wrapper off the candy and handed it to James.

"Thank you, daddy!" James chirped happily before his expression shifted into something much more frightened. Tony tensed uncomfortably, fingers digging into the table as he kept his gaze down and away from Steve's.

James began to shake his head, looking between Steve and Tony nervously.

"Uh, no! James mean…" he let out a nervous little laugh as he shook his head no still. "Steve not daddy, n-no. Silly James! Tony Daddy! Tony James' Daddy now!"

Tony groaned internally and squeezed his eyes shut, preparing for the next wave of questions that would inevitably follow.

Steve cleared his throat and gathered his thoughts for a moment before turning toward Tony with a carefully guarded expression.

"Tony," he started, voice soft. Tony forced his eyes open and he glanced up at Steve. "He calls you Daddy?"

Tony's face flushed fire-hot and he kept his eyes on the table before him. "H-he does."

"Did you… _ask_ him to?"

"No! No, I…I think he was just so used to it when he came here…" he trailed off, trying to think of a way to explain it that wouldn't make him sound like the horrible person he felt like.

Steve leaned over to his other side, close to Tony and the older man froze.

"Did you buy this man?" He asked sternly, too low for James to hear.

"No!" Tony yelped, panic settling in his chest.

"You know that if you paid money to have this man in your home, calling you daddy…"

"No! Steve! It's not like that! I told you, Clint called me and then he came and dropped him off, that's all! I swear! I thought it was a cat!"

Steve paused for a moment, keeping his gaze locked on Tony.

"Did you sleep with him?" He finally asked, moving to fully face Tony.

Tony could feel his heart pounding right out of his chest and his knuckles had turned white with the force of which he still gripped the table. He knew better than to lie to this man.

"I-I did…"

" _Tony,_ " Steve growled, eyebrows furrowing into something like anger.

"Y-you don't understand! I-I didn't _force_ him! I swear, I would never-!"

Steve cut him off with a hand held up in the air. Tony could see his jaw muscles clenching and his stomach sank down through his shoes.

Steve turned back to James, but he couldn't wipe the serious look off his face.

"Does Clint make you call him Daddy?" He asked James.

James' eyes were shiny with tears and he trembled slightly in his seat. His shoulders hunched in and his head drooped down low, candy forgotten on the table before him.

"James?" Steve pressed.

James took a shuddering breath and squeaked out, "Clint not let Bucky talk! Bucky say nothing! Or Bucky get beat! Bucky know Clint is the daddy."

"Did Tony ask you to call him daddy?" Steve continued. He held his had up again toward Tony, not turning to look at him. He wanted to hear it from James.

"No," James whimpered, tears finally spilling over to roll down his cheeks. "Daddy Tony say no call him daddy. James a bad boy!" he wailed, breaking into sobs.

"No!" Tony cooed, standing from his seat before he could think about it. He paused and glanced at Steve before moving to James' side, kneeling beside his chair. "It's okay, buddy. You're not a bad boy, you're doing so good!" He assured, cupping his hand around the man's thin cheek. "You're a good boy, James, you're doing so great, honey. It's always good to tell the truth."

James leaned into Tony's hand and sniffled, nodding his head at the older man. Steve watched their interaction curiously.

When James had calmed down, Tony rose and moved back to his chair, knowing there was more to come.

"James," Steve began softly, gathering his thoughts before he asked anything. "Can you tell me about the way Tony touched you?"

James' eyes grew wide and he glanced at Tony, who gave him a reassuring, although weak smile.

James looked back at Steve and his eyebrows screwed up in confusion.

"M-my daddy parts…" He began weakly, not sure what kind of answer the big blonde man was searching for.

"What did Tony do to your private areas, James?"

"Tony…give James cummies?" He answered, hoping he wasn't saying the wrong thing.

"He made you feel good?" Steve asked. James nodded. "Can you tell me about the things he did to make you feel good?"

"Um, he…he let James inside his mouth. Daddy Clint never do that, unless for punish."

Tony's face flushed again but he kept his gaze down, not wanting to seem like he was swaying the man's answer in any way.

"Okay, so he…he," Steve cleared his throat, face flushing pink as well. "So he…"

"He let James fuck mouth," James stated, as though it were silly that Steve didn't understand.

Steve coughed before pressing forward. "Was there anything else that he did?" James nodded.

"Daddy asked James if he like it. He make James feel so… _special._ Make James feel so good."

"Did he… _penetrate_ you?" Steve pressed.

"Pen?" James repeated, confused.

"Did he put his… _daddy parts_ inside you?"

James nodded again. "Felt so nice. Want Daddy do it again."

There was silence for a moment as the words fell heavy in the room.

'Did he ask if you want it?" Steve finally asked.

"Yes. Said I could say stop. Said I…pretty boy." James smiled and blushed at the memory. "Make James feel so good."

"So, he didn't force you?"

"No. Daddy Tony never mean to James, _ever._ James said he want it. Tony say okay."

"Alright," Steve replied, tension melting from his shoulders. "Let's talk more about Clint."

Tony breathed a sigh of relief and sat back a bit more in his chair. Maybe it would be okay.

"Does he ask if you want it?"

"No."

"Does he make you anyway?"

"Yes."

"Did you ever tell him no?"

"Not allowed."

"But he knows?"

"He like it better when James not want it. He like to watch the mean men hurt James too."

"I remember you told me about these men. Did you ever tell them no?"

James shook his head no, eyes wide. "James get _bad_ beat if he tell customer no."

"Do you want to go back to Clint?"

"NO!" James shouted, looking nervously at Tony. "Daddy Tony not want James either?" He asked, his voice breaking a bit as he did.

"I do! I do, I want James to stay and be happy!" Tony quickly answered. "Do you want to stay with me, James?"

James nodded fervently again. "Not get rid of James, please daddy?" He whined.

"I don't want to, but we need to make this work honey. That's why Steve is here to help us." Tony looked at Steve. "Doesn't that count? You heard him say he wants to stay, doesn't that mean he doesn't have to go?"

Steve sighed. "Technically, yes, but I still don't know much about this Clint guy. I can't get him out of the picture until we have physical proof of him hurting James."

"Well how do we do that? Does that mean I have to let him hurt James again?"

"Technically…"

"No! I can't do that! I can't let Clint hurt him again!" Tony said quickly, feeling panic rising in his gut again.

"Maybe…if I can be there, just long enough to see him threaten at best, then I can have a reason to put him away. When is he supposed to come back?"

"The end of this week," Tony sighed, already feeling the deadline looming over him.

"Okay. Make sure you let me know once he's in contact so that I can be there."

"Of course," Tony responded.

"I just have a few more questions, buddy." Steve turned back to James. "Can we do a few more?" He asked, sliding the forgotten green candy on the table toward James again. James smiled as he noticed it and grabbed it, taking a big bite.

"Thank you, Mister Steve. Few more questions." He chewed loudly around his big sticky bite.

"Okay. Can we talk about Bucky?" Steve asked, drawing a questioning look from the shaggy-haired man.

"James Bucky?" He responded, with a look that said Steve was just a ridiculously funny man.

"Yes, I noticed you call yourself Bucky sometimes. Who gave you that name?"

"Clint."

"Why?"

"James not know. Clint not know James. Call James Bucky. Say I 'buck around too much.' Call me Bucky."

"Did he call you that when he hurt you? I noticed you only call yourself that when you're talking about something you don't like very much."

James squirmed, not quite understanding the question as he chewed the rest of the candy.

"Okay, buddy. Why don't we quit for now, okay? I have to talk to… _Tony_ alone now."

James nodded and slid from his chair, crawling across the floor to lean his head against Tony's knee.

"Honey, I think maybe you should go color, okay?" Tony suggested, giving him a gentle nudge. James whined.

"Steve not hurt Tony!" He announced, sitting up taller to look at the blonde man over the table as he spoke.

"I won't hurt Tony, pal. Go color, okay?"

James rubbed his head against Tony's knee once more, hard, and Tony couldn't help but think of the term "aggressively loving" as he did, before he scampered away. Tony watched him go until he was certain that he was settled back on the couch, then turned to meet Steve's gaze. He didn't have anything else to use to avoid it.

"I only had sex with him once. I know how wrong it was now, and I won't do it again."

Steve looked at Tony seriously, thinking everything over in his head. 

"I don't really want to, but…I think I need to hear more about that time."

Tony's face burned red and hot again and he glanced down at the table in front of him. 

"I need some water, you want some?" He asked, standing and rushing to the kitchen sink.

"Sure," Steve responded, watching him leave. He glanced out into the living room and saw James' head over the top of the couch, clearly concentrating on whatever book he had in front of him. 

Tony grabbed two glasses and a plastic cup with a lid from the cupboard. He filled the two glasses with cold water before grabbing the milk carton from the fridge and filling the plastic cup. He grabbed a half-empty canister of chocolate milk powder and began scooping some into the cup of milk. Steve watched the way he stirred it lovingly, before putting the lid on and heading to the living room to give it to James.

"Here, bud. We'll be done soon, okay?" He heard the man say quietly, before returning to the kitchen to retrieve the glasses and bring them to the table.

"You really care about him, huh?" Steve asked, taking a sip from the glass of cold water that Tony had set before him.

Tony sighed and scrubbed his hands over his face before he nodded, looking weary. "I guess so. I don't honestly know why but…here we are." He grimaced a smile and took a deep breath, preparing for the no doubt invasive questions that Steve was going to ask.

"That's good. So…Let's talk about this little sexcapade you had with our little cat-boy."

Tony swallowed thickly, taking a big gulp of water, his hand shaking around the glass.

"Who initiated it?"

Tony thought back and remembered the way it had started, explaining how he'd turned on the movie and how James couldn't focus because of his… _pressing matter_ between his legs.

"I tried to ignore it but…he was whining and _humping_ me."

"So you took that as consent?"

"No! I…I asked him if…he calls it "daddy playtime". I asked him if he likes daddy playtime. He said sometimes."

"So then you took him?"

"No! I-look, I'm not a monster!" Tony pleaded, feeling miserable. "I asked if that's what he wanted, but I told him it was playtime for _both_ of us. He very much wanted that. I made sure he was okay every step of the way and I did my best to be as gentle as possible! I didn't want him to feel like it was being _done_ to him, I wanted him to feel like he was a part of it." Tony looked away, his ears burning with how hard he flushed.

"So he said yes every step of the way?" Steve prodded. Tony nodded but didn't look back at the man.

"So, has he asked you again since then?"

"Yes, but I know better now! And Bruce said-"

"Bruce? You asked Bruce to see him?"

Tony nodded. Steve and Bruce knew each other in passing through work, but they weren't as close to each other as Tony was to them both.

"What did he say?"

"He said he'll have me arrested if I lay a finger on him again," Tony chuckled wryly. Steve laughed a huff of air through his nose as he took another swig of his water.

"I don't think we could do that."

"What do you mean?" Tony asked, glancing back at Steve from the corner of his eye.

"Well, if you're both saying-" he nodded toward James. "-that he wanted it, then there's nothing legally wrong with it. It's more of a _moral_ thing." He made sure to look pointedly at Tony as he said the last bit.

Tony sighed and nodded, before finally looking at Steve. "Am I an awful person?" He asked in a whisper.

Steve regarded him seriously for a moment before he spoke with a gentle shake of his head. "I don't think so. You're gentle with him. You care about him. He smiles when he talks about you." Steve trailed off again and Tony waited.

"How much do you know about autism?" He finally asked. Tony cocked his head at the unexpected question and thought.

"Not much, I suppose. Why?"

"He has a lot of similarities and tendencies that could point in that direction. Bruce didn't say anything about it?"

"No, he said I should keep him pumped full of anti-scurvy and feed him constantly." Steve's brows quirked at the word scurvy, but he didn't say anything about it.

"Do you think he might be autistic?" Tony asked, glancing over at the man.

"Not necessarily. But, I'm not a doctor. I feel like, if he does have it, he's very high functioning. If he doesn't, then he's very behind in his development, both academically and emotionally. Possibly in more ways than that. And since I have no idea how old he was when he came to be in Clint's possession, it's impossible to say that he wasn't forcibly taken down a few pegs."

"What do you mean?"

"Like, he could have been a total genius, but if Clint forced him to… _be_ an animal…there's no telling if maybe he still has all that in there somewhere, hidden away. Or if he got him young, he could have just stopped all of that before he developed, in which case, he still has all that potential."

"You think he could get better? He's gotten better already in just the past week I've had him."

"How's he gotten better?"

"Well, he didn't know how to use the restroom. Now, he's going by himself. He couldn't use eating utensils…Now he's coloring in the lines!"

Steve nodded. "Yeah, he's probably got a lot of potential then, honestly. He most likely will need some professional help to bring that out, though. And no matter what, he needs a therapist. Is that something you're willing to provide for him? To pay for? I'm sure he's going to have a lot of special needs. Are you willing to deal with that for the rest of his life? Or, at least until he's better and decides to go?"

Tony's face twinged with hurt at the idea that James might possibly want to go someday, but before he said anything in response, Steve continued.

"Are you ready for that possibility? That he might want to go live a real life? Without you?"

Tony's jaw dropped and he got lost in those thoughts, not having considered them before. 

"I…Of course, I'm willing to pay for any kind of help he needs, anything at all. But, I guess I hadn't really thought about him leaving before. I've been so focused on keeping him safe here."

"What is it that makes you care so much? You don't really know him, do you?"

"Not before this week, I didn't. But, how can I not care? Look how sweet he is. Look how caring! How could I look him in his sweet blue eyes and tell him he has to go back to starving and abuse?"

Steve nodded and covered his mouth with one hand, toying with his glass with the other.

"Tony, I think you're a good man. I think, if you're both okay with it, then it should be okay for you to indulge in… _sexual pleasure_ with each other." He squirmed uncomfortably as he said the last part. "That's, as long as he's _enthusiatically_ consenting. And if you take advantage of him…Tony, I would have to book you with every imaginable charge."

Tony nodded his understanding, noting every word that Steve said. "Of course."

"So…I'll help you. But it's not going to be easy in any way, shape, or form."

Tony breathed out a sigh of relief and a wide grin split his face, tears springing up in his eyes. He stood quickly from his chair and gripped the man's broad shoulders in a tight embrace.

"God, Steve, that's so good to hear. I refuse to let him go back to living in filth and pain. Thank you so much!"

Steve gripped him back, hugging him tightly.

"We can do this."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took so long, it's been a crazy month and it's only getting crazier! Hopefully the longish chapter makes up for it! I've been spending a lot of time on my other WIP, Petit Bebe Salope as well, so that's been taking a good chunk of my time. I'm trying to balance them both but I'm no professional lol
> 
> Anyway, since you've made it this far, might as well leave a comment, right? ;)
> 
> Tell me what you think! Did I mess anything up or forget anything? Or is there anything you'd like to see mentioned? Please let me know!  
> And once again, thank you so much for reading! I really appreciate it! <3


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> James' lips were sloppy-wet and inexperienced, and oh-so-sweet, a mix between chaste pecks and more forceful sucking at Tony's skin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Late chapter is late 😓

Steve and Tony had shared a drink, malt whiskey, and Tony had made James a snack, determined to get the man's weight up before Bruce inevitably came back to check on him. 

He'd cut a few strawberries, peeled a mandarin and halved a few green grapes into a bowl, creating a sort of makeshift fruit salad and James had happily accepted with a resounding "Yum!"

Tony had chuckled and pressed a quick kiss to his forehead before excusing himself to the bathroom. When he came back, he found Steve's seat at the small table vacant and he'd scanned the room quickly, finding him on the couch with James.

He walked slowly over to where they sat and found that James had made himself very cozy, curling up on Steve's lap. He was smiling and feeding Steve tiny nibbles of his fruit while he giggled adorably. Steve looked comfortable too, slouched down with his arm around the man's skinny torso.

"Strawby? James asked, holding up a tiny slice of the red fruit to Steve's lips.

"Sure, bud," Steve accepted with a grin. He nibbled the tip playfully and then James quickly popped the rest into his own mouth, teasing the big blonde. Steve tickled his ribs and Tony smiled when James broke into a real, genuine laugh.

"Daddy, Steve silly!" He announced upon noticing the brunette standing to their side. Steve's head whipped around, noticing Tony for the first time.

"Sorry, he asked me to come over so…what else could I do, right?" He laughed sheepishly. Tony just smiled.

"Want another drink?" He offered. It was getting closer to dinner time and he didn't really have any ways to entertain the man anyways.

"Sure, I'll take another," Steve accepted gratefully. "If I'm crowding you guys, I'll go," he offered.

"Nah, it's nice to have guests. And he really likes you," he nodded his head in James' direction, where he was bouncing and nodding his head happily under Steve's chin.

Steve's face twinged pink and he smiled, not having a response.

"This one?" James offered Steve a slice of the tiny orange and Steve grinned.

"That's an orange. And no thanks, pal. Those are your snacks."

James nodded his head once jerkily and looked at the fruit between his fingers. "Orange," he repeated slowly, trying to commit it to his memory.

Tony quickly headed back to the kitchen, grabbing both of their empty tumblers from the table and pouring more amber liquid into each. He headed back to the couch and handed Steve his drink, sitting on the opposite side of the couch and watching the two interact.

James seemed really happy, snuggled up against Steve's broad chest, and the man rested his hand easily on his hip as they watched the cartoon that James had chosen.

On the screen, a cartoon animal that was one-half dog and one-half cat ran around yelling and getting into shenanigans together, mostly about the fact that the two were so different, and James giggled happily.

"You like this show, James?" Steve asked, making a calm conversation.

"Mmhmm," James hummed, mouth full of grapes. "He like James."

Steve and Tony shared confused looks over his head at the statement and Steve asked, "What do you mean by that, bud?"

"He's Catdog. Like James! Clint say James cat, sometimes dog."

"Oh, honey-" Tony began.

"You're not an animal, bud. You're a person," Steve finished.

"Yeah, James know," he replied, popping another piece of fruit in his mouth without looking up from the screen.

Steve looked over at Tony and spoke quietly, so as to not catch James' attention.

"Do you need a number for a therapist? I know a great girl that could help."

"Yeah," Tony sighed. "Send it over when you've got the chance."

Steve nodded and wrapped his arm a little tighter around James' waist.

"Do you like this, buddy?" Steve asked, drawing his attention away from the television.

"Yep," James answered simply, reaching up idly with a finger to touch Steve's lips. "Steve nice man. Not hurt Bucky, make feel nice."

"That's good," Steve replied with a smile, gently taking James' thin hand in his own and lowering it down to his lap.

"Oh, Steve want touch?" James asked, sitting up a little straighter.

" _No,_ " Steve answered immediately, firmly but gently. "James doesn't need to do that anymore. Sex is for people that James loves. Special people."

James listened intently and nodded his head again, looking back at Tony on the other side of the couch.

"Like Daddy Tony. James like sex with Daddy Tony."

Tony's face flushed, but before he could reply, James was crawling across the couch toward him with all the practiced speed of being on his hands and knees for most of his life.

"Daddy Tony want touch," he stated with a smile, eyes intently on Tony's fly.

"No! James!" Tony yelped.

Steve leaned over and gripped James by the hips, pulling him down onto the couch beside him, and James' head whipped in his direction, surprise written all over his face.

"That's something you do when you're alone, pal." He didn't look upset or even phased at all. "That's a special time for just you and him, okay?" He asked, holding him firmly against his side. James' eyes were wide, but he slowly nodded his head in understanding anyway.

"Okay…James bad?" He asked, voice timid and small.

"No, James is not bad. Just remember, sex is not for strangers or friends. Sex is for people we love."

"Yes, sir," James replied, voice a bit shaky, as though he might be on the verge of tears. 

They spent the rest of the evening entertaining James as they might a child, pulling out crayons to color with him and books to read. James wasn't all that interested in the stories Tony had though since he didn't have any for quite the right age range. He decided to buy things for James soon, to help him feel as though he belonged there, but the idea of it itself was scary. He wasn't sure if James would still be there once the week was up. 

When James began to express his hunger, Steve happily took over reheating the Chinese food he'd brought in the kitchen, while Tony helped James with going to the bathroom and getting cleaned up. 

They ate together, chatting calmly about anything and everything, and when they had finished, James was too tired to stay awake much longer. 

"Steve want Bucky in bedroom?" He asked sleepily. 

"No, bud," Steve answered with a small smile. "I don't want you that way. It's okay for us to just be friends."

James yawned and smiled, stretching out before leaning over and pulling himself into Steve's lap. He wrapped his arms around the man's immensely broad shoulders and leaned his head against his chest. 

"Steve nice man," he practically whispered, yawning wide. Steve chuckled and squeezed the tint man back. 

"Want me to take him to bed?" He asked Tony, who sat watching with a content smile. The older brunette nodded and stood with Steve, ushering him in the right direction. 

Steve gently set the tiny man down, propping him against the pillows as he pulled the downy comforter over his slim legs. James was almost asleep already, but he peered up through slitted eyes and smiled at Steve. 

The blonde man leaned down to his ear and whispered, "remember, James. You're special. Your sex is special, it's a gift for the people you love."

James nodded his head and rolled into his side, falling into sleep immediately. Tony thanked Steve and walked him back to the front door. 

"Thanks a lot for coming over. You handled him really well."

"I've been on a lot of cases," he shrugged. "Don't forget, you _have_ to let me know as soon as this Clint guy is in touch again."

"I couldn't possibly forget," Tony smiled and stood on his tiptoes to hug Steve before the man left. Yawning, he took himself back to the bedroom to prepare himself for sleep. 

When the morning sun was glittering through the window, dancing through the leaves and skittering across them, James woke and curled into Tony's chest with a little groan. Tony inhaled deep and wrapped his arms around James, waking slowly. 

James absently played with Tony's shirt between his fingers, thinking quietly to himself. He could feel Tony's fingertips twirling the ends of his long hair and it sent chills down his spine, raising goosebumps across his flesh. 

"Tony?" He finally whispered once he was sure the man was awake. 

"Mmm?" Tony grunted, voice low and gravelly, vibrating James' whole torso. He shivered at the feeling. 

"Steve…" he trailed off and Tony waited patiently. 

"Steve say…James have special sex." He made the statement and Tony waited, but it didn't seem like he intended to continue. 

"Mmkay," Tony yawned, not sure where he was going. 

"Steve say James' sex special. Just for people he love."

"That's right, pal. It's your gift to give," Tony mumbled, dropping James' hair and rubbing soothingly against his back instead. 

"But…then why Clint...why Clint take it?"

Tony groaned internally and heaved a deep sigh. "Well, buddy…Clint's not a good man. Sometimes…bad people do bad things to _good_ people." He paused for a moment, to think, and to let James absorb. 

"Clint hurt James." It wasn't a question. Tony didn't refute it. 

"Why don't we make some breakfast, huh bud?" Tony suggested, breaking a short silence. 

James hesitated, before heaving his own large sigh.

"S'pose so," James mumbled, reluctantly letting go of Tony and scooting from the bed. 

The next few days went by in a blur, Tony being sure to fill James' days with love, plenty of food, vitamins, and as many activities as he could think of. There were relatively few moments when James was overtaken by some memory or something Tony did or said, and they were all far less intense than his episode in the bathroom. 

Any time that Tony managed to steal alone was filled with worry, pacing, and anxiety. He couldn't help hating the feeling of the unknown, and he still hadn't heard from Clint. 

There were only a few more days until it was time for the man to collect. Tony wondered if he should reach out first. And Bruce still hadn't been back. 

He tried not to let on to James how worried he actually was, for fear of setting him off. He wasn't sure if the man understood or not that his time with Tony was coming to an end. 

Hopefully, he wouldn't have to understand it. 

*************************************

Three days. 

Three days and Clint would be back. Tony was a wreck. He hadn't been sleeping properly, could barely stand to eat, but he was powering through with a smile, for James. 

He sat at the kitchen table before the sun had risen, nursing a second cup of coffee. He hadn't been able to sleep the night before, no matter how hard he'd tried.

It was almost six in the morning. He knew James wouldn't be up for a few more hours, so he decided to lay down on the couch. For his lack of sleep, it wasn't because he wasn't tired. He was exhausted. 

When he opened his eyes again, the sun had risen. Birds were singing outside his windows despite the utter gloom he felt within his stomach. 

He blinked open his eyes and was met with James' icy blue-gray orbs. They smiled and shined brightly as he watched Tony sleep.

Tony smiled back at the man, taking in how drastically different he looked from the first time he'd seen him. His cheeks were filled out, the bones barely visible anymore, and his skin wasn't so sickly gray either. The bruise-dark circles that had once surrounded his eyes were completely gone. His expression held something playful in it. His hair was now soft and silky, revealing a bright chestnut-brown that had been hidden beneath grime. 

"Hey kid, nice peepers," he grumbled slowly, his mouth quirking up higher at the corners. 

James blinked and cocked his head to the side in confusion, but his smile never dropped. 

" W'cha doin', daddy?" He asked sweetly, kneeling on the floor beneath Tony. 

"Nothin' much," Tony groaned, sitting up drowsily. "Wanna eat?" He rubbed his eyes with the heel of his palm. 

"Uh-huh," James agreed happily. "Berries?"

"You want some blueberries?" Tony yawned. 

"Mmm, yus please!" He nodded, grinning.

"Alright. I'll make some chocolate chip pancakes, too. I want something sweet."

James smiled and stood after Tony, following him toward the kitchen. "Can have me, daddy," he chirped sweetly, causing Tony to stumble. He quickly closed the distance between them and ran his hands down Tony's sides, over the front of his pants, and resting against his thighs. 

"Oh, James," Tony gasped, feeling his face heat bright and hot. 

"S'okay now daddy, Steve said so. James get to choose who James give his gift to."

Tony chuckled, partially flattered to be the one he chose and partially nervous about the repercussions of his actions should he accept said gift.

" _Honey,_ why don't we have some breakfast, okay?" 

He squeezed James' hands and then gently pulled away from his grasp, continuing on to the kitchen. He began to pull ingredients from cupboards and gather them all on the counter, doing his best to ignore the man that was still rooted to his spot. 

"Daddy not want?" James finally asked, sounding sad. 

"Honey," Tony repeated, looking back over his shoulder with round eyes. "I do-of course I do! But…" he looked away, trying to think of what to say. "I just…know that you're hungry. So we should wait." He quickly began measuring ingredients and pouring them into a bowl. 

"So…daddy have gift after breakfast?"

Tony began to sweat, mixing the ingredients together much faster. James smiled and crossed through the kitchen behind Tony, pulling open the fridge. He reached in and grabbed the container of blueberries, setting them on the counter and sitting down in his chair. 

Tony glanced at the container, then back to James as he walked away. Just a short week and a half ago, he wouldn't have dared touch the fridge, much less take something out of it. 

He turned his attention back, flipping the stovetop on, and getting ready to cook the pancakes. 

Soon, Tony was setting a few stacks of hot pancakes at each of their places at the table, James' topped with blueberries.

He ate his own portion nervously, glancing up here and there to see that James was smiling at him each time. Maybe he could distract the man with a bath and he'd forget. 

When he finished, he slowly took his plate to the sink, rinsing it carefully as he zoned in on his thoughts. 

Suddenly he felt James' hands snake around his waist and his lips, sticky with syrup, kissing clumsily at his neck. 

Maybe he wouldn't forget after all. 

Tony sighed and closed his eyes, feeling the man's graceless affection being lavished upon him. His hands roamed Tony's stomach with no real sense of finesse, squeezing or pressing awkwardly here and there, but he stayed dutiful to his task; trying to make Tony feel wanted, or perhaps even in an attempt to arouse him. 

Tony chuckled, realizing that the man's only experience with this type of affection had likely been learned from himself, and he smiled despite himself. 

James' heart leaped with joy at the happy noise Tony had made and it encouraged him to continue. He quickly slid his hands beneath Tony's shirt, petting at the soft skin there, reaching up to gently tweak at his nipples. 

"Feel nice, Daddy," James whispered, hoping he was saying the right things. He'd heard plenty of words from Clint and the men that paid him, but none of them had ever made him feel the way Tony's words had. He wanted Tony to feel that way too. 

"Pretty Daddy. Good boy, Daddy."

Tony smiled and shook his head a little, leaning his head back to rest on James' shoulder. "Oh yeah?" He murmured. 

"Mmhmm. Daddy have nice smile and pretty face. Daddy have such nice cock." James punctuated his statement by gripping Tony's fattening groin, squeezing firmly.

Tony jumped and his eyes flew open, turning around quickly. "Hey there, bud, slow down," Tony hummed, though his own hands gripped James' hips to keep him from shying away. "Just take it slow, okay?"

James' bright eyes were big as he battled, no doubt, with his own insecurities and anxieties at Tony's words and actions. He nodded slowly and they both stood still for a moment, deciding what to do next. 

Finally, James licked his lips and leaned back in, closing his eyes as he made contact with Tony's throat. Tony squeezed his hips encouragingly and tilted his head to allow the man more access. 

James' lips were sloppy-wet and inexperienced, and oh-so-sweet, a mix between chaste pecks and more forceful sucking at Tony's skin. 

"Here, kiss me here," Tony sighed, taking James gently by the back of his head and leading him to the ultra-sensitive spot nestled just above his collar bone.

James eagerly licked and nipped at the spot Tony had lead him to, happy to be given a little assistance. He'd never done this before, after all. 

Tony began to gently press his hips against James, pressing their hard cocks together and James whined, beginning to squirm and lose focus. 

"Do you want this?" Tony sighed in a whisper, though he made no attempts to move away or even open his eyes. James keened in his throat, and pressed back against Tony, burying his fingers into his soft, bed-messy hair and pulling. 

"Answer me, baby. Do you want to make love to me?" Tony pressed, needing to hear the answer. 

"Yes, Daddy! Yes _pleeeaaase_ have my gift?" He whined, lifting his face up so that his lips gently grazed against Tony, trailing softly up his chin and to his lips. 

Tony quickly opened his mouth, capturing James' lips with his own in a consuming kiss, licking the syrup from his lips. He pressed them back, until James bumped the table, then quickly shoved aside the dirty plates and cutlery to lift James up onto the tabletop. 

"You want me?" He panted into James' hot, chocolate-flavored mouth, hands beginning to roam greedily across his stomach, lifting his shirt up. 

"Yes, Daddy!" James panted back, locking his legs around Tony's waist and keeping him pulled close. Tony could see how hard James was through his thin pants and the way it pulsed against the soft fabric. He was still amazed by how much bigger the man grew in his lust.

Tony lifted James' shirt over his head, then immediately resumed kissing the man, while James' ground his hips into Tony's. 

"You want to give me your body? Your flesh?" He asked, beginning to kiss and lick at James' throat the way the man had done to him, only with much more experience behind it. "Want me to touch inside you?"

James let out a long, high whine, nodding his head excitedly.

"Are you ready?" Tony asked, sliding his fingers in the elastic band of James' pants but not tugging them down. 

"Daddy, I'm _ready!_ " James cried impatiently, grabbing at the man's shirt and attempting to pull it off. Tony hurried to pull his shirt over his head and watched as James rushed to lick and kiss and touch everywhere he could reach. 

He let out a pleased moan at the feeling and watched for just a second, enjoying the way James' enjoyed him, before reaching down to squeeze at himself through his sleep pants. He was beginning to create a wet spot there. 

_Just one last time._

"Baby, do you want to make love? With me? Right now? You can say no! You can say no anytime," Tony assured. James' hands paused against his chest and he looked up at Tony, eyebrows furrowed. He reached up with one hand and gripped Tony's jaw tightly, tighter than Tony expected him to be able to, pulling him in close. 

"Make love to me, Daddy. I've been waiting," he practically growled. Tony wasted no more time, gripping at the man's pants and pulling them down his legs, leaving him completely exposed. His cock sprang free and slapped his little stomach, leaving a wet spot in the sparse hairs there and Tony felt his mouth water. 

"Tell me what you like, James. Tell me what you want me to do," Tony panted, wanting to do every part of this right. 

James didn't hesitate to instruct. "Taste my daddy parts! Feels so good!" He moaned, taking a fistful of Tony's hair and tugging him down. Tony did as he was asked, kneeling down to his knees and taking James' long, thick cock into his mouth an inch at a time. 

He couldn't deny the way it made his own cock leak in his pants to have his lips stretched so wide around James' dick. It made him feel a bit empty himself, and he wondered if he'd be able to convince James to get inside him soon. 

"Mmm, so good daddy, such good suck. Take more? Please? Take more?" He begged, pressing his hand against Tony's head slightly, urging him to swallow another inch. 

Tony was barely halfway down his cock and it was already nudging at the back of his throat. Still, he took a deep breath and relaxed his throat, forcing James' fat cock down farther.

He gagged and his muscles spasmed, but he remained still, doing his best to bob his head up and down. James let out a loud shout and began to lift his hips, fucking up into Tony's mouth. 

Finally, Tony pulled off, drooling slobber and precome all over James' lap, gasping and coughing for breath. 

"Tony okay? Tony need stop?" James asked, trying to lift the man's head up to see his face. Tony shook his head immediately and dove back between James' legs, this time gripping his big cock in his hand. He licked and sucked at James' balls, rolling them on his tongue for a minute, before pressing his tongue back even farther, licking into his crack. 

"Oh!" James squeaked, leaning back to allow Tony more access, spreading his legs wide open. Tony gripped his thighs and pulled him to the edge of the table, eating at the little pink treasure that lay tucked between James' cheeks. 

"Tony! Tony!" James cried, and the older brunette could feel the way James softened and opened beneath him, eager for more. "Please! Please fuck now!" He wailed, grinding down against Tony's face. 

Tony couldn't deny a request like that, standing quickly and attacking James' lips with a deep, ferocious kiss. He pulled his waistband down and freed his own leaking cock, pumping it a few times before smacking the head softly against James' softened hole. James groaned deep in his throat, not breaking the sloppy kiss. 

Tony rubbed the head of his cock against James' skin until it caught on his rim, then began to slowly, _slowly_ press in. James squeaked and whined as it stretched him, but he pressed back against Tony eagerly. 

"You still want this, baby?" Tony panted against James' lips, his head nearly breaching him already.

James answered by gripping Tony's hips tightly and yanking him forward, sinking Tony's cock at least an inch and a half inside himself. They both gasped loudly and paused together, waiting to adjust to the stretch and the squeeze. 

"Fuck," Tony whispered.

"Now," James whispered back. 

Slowly, Tony began to pull out of James' vise-tight hole, gradually pressing in again, over and over until a few moments later, Tony was buried to the hilt inside of James.

James began to wiggle his hips, grinding and pressing as much as he could, no longer waiting for Tony to move. The older man let out a hiss and watched as James rolled and fucked himself on his cock. 

Finally, Tony took control, grabbing James' hips and pulling him back onto himself while he pistoned his own hips in a steady rhythm.

"Harder, Daddy, almost there!" James cried, and Tony knew he hadn't quite reached the man's sensitive prostate. He clasped his hands behind James' back and leaned him backward, getting a better angle to thrust in deeper. 

Soon, the kitchen was filled with the wet slapping sounds of skin on skin, heavy breathing, broken whines, and panting as each of the men chased their own pleasure while pleasuring each other. 

"Oh, Daddy so _good_ ," James moaned, tilting his hips forward so that the drag of Tony's cock against his little bundle of nerves pressed even harder. "Daddy…cummies!" James shouted, reaching forward to wrap his long thin fingers around the back of Tony's neck, pulling him down. 

"Gonna come, baby? Gonna come for Daddy?" Tony groaned, wrapping his own hand around the side of James' throat, thumb pressing gently into his pulse point. He wrapped his free arm tight around James' waist and pulled him to the edge of the table. He let loose then, slamming his cock hard inside the slight man, and James wrapped his legs tight around Tony again, crying out at the delicious fullness and the friction of his cock squeezed between them. 

"Yes, daddy!" James squealed, tears sliding down from the corners of his eyes. He turned his head toward Tony's hand and sucked his thumb into his mouth, drooling and crying around it, and Tony's mouth turned up into a wicked grin. 

"Such a good boy," he cooed, sweating and flushed from his effort. He pressed his thumb down into the soft flesh beneath James' tongue, pulling a tiny gag from the man and pulled his chin down to his chest, forcing him to make eye contact. "Such a good boy for me, huh? Come, baby, come for Daddy. Be a good boy," he babbled, feeling his own release flooding his senses and threatening to erupt. 

James looked up through his thick black lashes, tears streaming down his face, drool leaking steadily from his mouth and suddenly, he gasped. His eyes slammed shut and he let out a yelp that was practically a scream as his cock began to spurt hot, sticky and thick between them, coating their stomachs and chests, even splashing up onto Tony's chin. He thrust back against Tony a few more times before he fell into spasms, quickly overstimulated by the man's rough thrusts, and soon, Tony was coming too. 

He squeezed his fingers as he came, pressing hard into James' mouth and pressing bruises into the fleshy part of James' hip, drawing cries from the smaller man. 

Finally, they slowed to a still, panting and sweating and shaking against each other. Tony released his grip from James' flesh and leaned his head against his shoulder.

He chuckled quietly as he caught his breath and James tittered along with him. 

"Was that good, babe?" Tony asked, looking up at James' clear blue eyes. He knew he was moon-eyed but he didn't care. 

"Yeah, Tony was so good," James sighed, smiling brightly. 

Tony's heart nearly stopped when he heard a sharp knock on the door, just feet away, and both of their heads whipped toward the sound. 

Tony felt his heart sink down through his stomach and into his feet when he came eye to eye with a very pissed looking Bruce through the glass top of the door. He had no idea how long the man had been standing there, but it didn't matter either way. He was still buried to the hilt inside of James and they were both half naked and covered in come. 

" _Fuck,_ " he whispered, beginning to panic. He quickly looked around for a napkin or a paper towel, finding a small wrinkled one on the table, swiping it over his chest. It wasn't very effective. 

He glanced back at the door and saw that Bruce had looked away, no doubt to give them enough privacy to get themselves put back together, but Tony could still see how angry he was. 

He hurriedly pulled his cock from inside of James, a rush of come pouring out along with it and onto the floor and a whine escaping James' lips, and Tony cursed as he tucked himself back into his pants

"Baby, can you go get cleaned up? Maybe take a quick shower?" Tony urged, pulling him up onto his feet. There was come all over the table and floor and James was stark naked in the middle of the room. Tony wasn't doing much better, half-dressed, sweaty, and sticky. Even his sweatpants had dried come on the front of them. 

"Sh-shower?" James repeated, not sure what the man was asking him. 

"Never mind, just-just go into the bathroom, I'll be right there," he instructed, giving the man a gentle nudge in the right direction. He'd have to bite the bullet and let Bruce in while they cleaned up. 

He took a deep breath and walked to the door, unlocking it and pulling it open slightly, sort of hiding behind it. 

"Bruce," he greeted, though he sounded embarrassed. Or guilty. "You didn't call," he stated pointedly. 

"Yeah, I'm sure you could guess why I didn't," Bruce responded in a steely voice, looking at Tony from the corner of his eye. 

"Yeah, listen, I have to go get us cleaned up. Can you just…wait on the couch? We'll be right back," Tony swore, ushering the man inside, standing in the way of his view of the kitchen table. He'd have to clean it up once he came back. 

"Make it quick," Bruce agreed. "You're lucky I didn't already call the police."

"Right," Tony replied with a little nod of his head. He was probably going to have a hard time explaining what Steve had said the last time he'd been over. "We'll be fast," he assured, closing the kitchen door and making his way down the hall.

"That's nice of you. I'd really love it if you were appropriate, too," Bruce called down the hall after him, gingerly sitting down on the couch.

"Fuck," Tony exclaimed under his breath as he closed the bathroom door behind him. James was standing naked in the middle of the bathroom, hair a mess and slick running down between his thighs as he shivered slightly, unsure of what to do. 

Tony sighed and quickly moved to turn on the standalone shower so that the water could heat, a little upset that he couldn't enjoy the view. 

"I'm sorry," Tony expressed, quickly retrieving the hairbrush from the drawer and working it through the tangles and mats that James had developed overnight. 

"Sorry why, daddy?" James asked, enjoying the way it felt to have Tony brush his hair. He'd gotten better at doing it himself, but it was still so much better when Tony did it.

"Because…Bruce saw us and…I know he's going to be a pain in the ass today because of it. He's going to think I was taking advantage of you."

"It okay, Daddy. Not worry about Bruce." He turned and faced Tony once the man was done combing through his long locks and smiled. "Daddy can kiss James? Felt so nice," he asked wistfully, hope clear in his eyes. Tony chuckled but leaned forward anyway, slotting their lips together tenderly, but quick. 

"Let's get cleaned up. He's waiting for us," Tony murmured with a smile, turning back to test the water with his hand. "C'mon."

Fifteen minutes later, and Tony was ushering James down the hallway, damp and dressed. James dragged his feet as he walked, thinly concealing a frown. 

"Nice to see you both dressed. Why don't we sit down and talk?" Bruce suggested as soon as the two men appeared in the room. His smile was tense and disingenuous and he folded his hands in his lap over his crossed legs. 

James flopped onto the farthest seat away from Bruce, brow furrowed ferociously and his arms crossed over his chest like a petulant teenager. Tony took the seat closest to him anxiously, sitting with clear unease in his posture. 

Bruce leaned forward and grabbed his notebook and a pen from where they sat open on the coffee table, where he'd clearly been studying his notes from before. He began to tap the pen rhythmically against the pad as he glared at Tony over his thick glasses. His distaste was incredibly thinly veiled. 

"I'm pretty sure you just did something that we talked about you _not_ doing, right Tony?" His mouth smiled but Tony knew that was for James. His eyes burned angrily into Tony. 

"I had his consent," Tony replied uneasily, having a hard time keeping eye contact. 

" _CONSENT!_ " Bruce shouted, slapping his notepad against his knee. Tony and James both jumped and Bruce cleared his throat, trying to keep the crazed look out of his eyes. "Consent, Tony?" He repeated quieter. "I thought we both agreed that James was in no condition to give consent? Hmm? Didn't we agree that?" Bruce's wide smile was unnerving. 

"Steve said James' sex is his own. His gift to give," James interrupted, brow furrowed once again. 

"Steve? Who's Steve?" Bruce asked the two men, looking from one to the other. 

"He's…an officer friend of mine. He was here yesterday. Spent the day with James. Said he's just fine to give consent, as long as I'm careful," Tony answered cautiously but honestly. 

"Careful? He's got bruises on his throat. I saw you two, you didn't look careful at all."

"We… _I_ …got a little carried away. But I checked in multiple times. He was fine, he _wanted_ it."

"James want to give his gift," James added with a nod. 

"Is this the Steve I know?" Bruce asked Tony.

"Rogers," Tony confirmed. Bruce nodded. 

"I'll be checking in with him today. Know that I won't let this go." The doctor assured Tony. "Now, let's check you out, James. You are looking much better." Bruce stood, holding a hand out to help James from the couch. 

James scowled and ignored the hand, standing on his own. Bruce huffed a laugh through his nose. 

"Alright, let's get your shirt off so I can get a good look at you. It's nice to see you wearing pants today, too." Bruce gestured to James' shirt, but the thin man just looked nervously over his shoulder at Tony. 

"It's okay, honey. Need some help?" He asked as he stood as well. 

"Please, Tony," James whispered, suddenly feeling shy in front of Bruce. 

"It's alright. Arms up," Tony instructed as he pulled the shirt over James' head. He was feeling nervous himself, but he knew that James had gained weight, there was no way he hadn't. 

"Alright, let's look at you," Bruce murmured, pressing his glasses up and beginning his inspection. He reached up and gently touched the light, fresh bruises at the side of James' throat and sighed.

"Tony, you can't be doing this to him." His voice was controlled but clearly unimpressed. 

"I didn't mean to, I-I…I forgot how easily he bruises," Tony admitted, face turning pink. 

"Open your mouth, please," Bruce continued, ignoring Tony. He placed his thumb at James' chin and applied enough pressure to coax his mouth open, peering inside. He pulled James' bottom lip down and gently pressed at his teeth, testing how loose they were. 

"Gums look nice. Teeth feel strong. Stick out your tongue? Throat is good." He reached up and pressed at James' lymph nodes in his neck and found them not swollen. "Good."

He took James' upper arm in his hand and inspected the soft flesh of it, satisfied with the way it had filled out from the boney way it had been before. He then let go of the man's arm and trailed his fingers against his ribs, pressing gently here and there. 

"You definitely _look_ like you've gained weight. Have you been eating?" He asked James. 

The long-haired brunette nodded.

"No problems with digestion? No vomiting, discomfort, trouble using the restroom?" He directed the question at Tony. 

"None that I'm aware of. He seems to be handling the change in diet fine."

"Good. That's good." He turned quickly and reached into his bag, which was resting beside the coffee table. He pulled out a tool to look inside James' ears and quickly turned back to James. "Just gonna take a quick look," Bruce murmured, gently taking the man's ear and using it to turn his head.

He peered inside for a moment, then pulled back, moving to James' opposite side to check the other ear. 

"How's it look? Still bad?" Tony wondered, nervousness creeping up his spine. He remembered what Bruce had said last time. Some kind of trauma had caused the man to lose hearing.

"Actually," Bruce began, sounding pleased. "They look much _much_ better. Can you hear better, James?" He asked the man with a smile. 

James looked nervous and confused, looking from Tony and back to Bruce with a shrug. 

"Let's check really quick, easy test," Bruce announced, sounding excited. He gripped James' waist and pushed him to turn around, facing Tony. 

He began to rub his fingers gently together beside James' left ear, the way he had the first time, waiting for a response. James jumped and whipped around almost immediately to see what Bruce was doing. 

"Hey! Look at that!" Bruce exclaimed happily. "Okay, turn back," he instructed, while already pushing his chin forward. He got in place behind James again quietly, this time snapping his fingers a few inches away from James' left ear. 

James jumped again, this time letting out a fearful little sound and rushing into Tony's arms. Tony chuckled as he held the man tightly. 

Bruce and Tony couldn't help but celebrate quietly together as they grinned wide over James' head. 

"That's great!" Bruce cheered. "Excellent! James, you're doing so much better!". James turned to peer at Bruce over his shoulder, and the doctor laughed. 

"It's okay, sweetheart, let's finish checking you out, okay?" He urged, reaching forward with his fingertips to coax James away from Tony.

Tony was feeling incredibly confident, now that Bruce seemed so pleased with his findings. 

"C'mon, baby, your exam is almost over! You're doing so great!" Tony cooed at James. He could tell the tiny man was nervous, definitely uncomfortable. He didn't like standing half-naked in front of a practical stranger, and Tony understood that entirely, but things were so much better this time. 

"I'm gonna need you to lay down on your back," Bruce instructed, taking James' forearm and leading him to sit on the couch. "We won't even go to the bedroom this time, I know how nervous you were last time," he added.

James didn't look any more comfortable as Bruce explained to him why he should be comfortable, but Tony didn't feel as bad being a physical comfort for him this time, sitting above his head. 

"You're doing so great, sweetheart. You're so much healthier!" He beamed, and James couldn't help the smile that crept onto his face at what the man said. 

"I'm going to push on your tummy again, okay? Remember last time?" Bruce asked, sitting on the edge of the couch beside James and beginning to rub his hands over James' torso before he could respond. 

He trailed his fingers gently down his ribs, feeling for anything that seemed abnormal, then continued down into the fleshier parts of his stomach. 

"Any pain here?" Bruce asked the way he had before. James shook his head but reached up to grip at Tony nervously. Tony took his hand with no hesitation. 

"How about here?" Bruce asked, pressing deep into James' stomach. James jerked his head in a no again. 

"Okay. This is where it hurt last time," Bruce stated, lightly resting his fingertips inside of James' still slightly protruded hip bones. "Tell me if it hurts this time." He hesitated for a moment, then lightly began to press down, watching for any signs of discomfort from the man.

When James didn't respond, he pressed deeper, then began to rotate his fingers in small circles. 

"No pain?" Bruce asked, a smile gracing his face again. James once again shook his head. "Great! James, that's great!" Bruce looked up at Tony with a wide grin. "The swelling in his kidneys is gone! As pissed at you as I am, you've actually done an amazing job at taking care of him!" Bruce congratulated happily. Tony smiled and blushed at the sort-of compliment. 

"Rollover, honey, let me see your back, okay?" Bruce prompted, already pushing James onto his stomach. 

James let out a whine as he stubbornly pressed back against Bruce's hands. 

"Tony!" He cried as Bruce pushed a little more forcefully. 

"It's okay, babe, we're almost finished! Then you can put your shirt back on, okay?" Tony promised. James whined again but allowed Bruce to manhandle him into place. 

Bruce leaned up onto his knees, leaning over James as he ran his fingers up and down his spine, digging in with his thumbs here and there as he did. 

"Looks pretty good," Bruce stated, mostly to himself. "Just a little bit out of place again in that same spot. That's normal. I can put that back again before we're done." 

He leaned up, draping a leg over James', just under where his ass met his legs and leaned into the thin man harder. He pressed the sides of his hands right along the outside of his spine, pressing firmly as he did, releasing cracks and pops as he went. James let out a choked off noise with each pop, but he couldn't deny how much pressure he felt coming off his spine and the pleasure it sent through him. 

He let out a deep sigh and closed his eyes, feeling the heavy, warm weight of the man on top of him. His hands were dry but soft, touching him in such pleasurable ways that he'd never even thought of. Without making the conscious decision, he began to lift his hips, the swell of his ass rising to meet Bruce's hips as he rhythmically rocked his body to press into James' spine. 

Bruce's hips just barely met with James' ass, to the point that he probably didn't realize it himself, and James began to feel warm and tingly at the teasing friction. He let out a little sigh and began to wiggle his hips from side to side slowly, just barely enough to feel the outline of what was tucked into Bruce's pants. 

He let out a tiny groan and he felt his cheeks beginning to heat up. 

"Alright, I'm going to press on your kidneys, buddy, and then we're going to check out your tailbone," Bruce informed, sliding his hands down to just below halfway down his spine, pressing there gently. James' hips lifted just a bit more, bumping against Bruce's crotch softly. 

"No swelling…" Bruce murmured to himself, moving his examination lower. He pressed his thumbs one after the other on either side of James' backbone until he reached his hips before he finally realized that he was straddling the man's round ass in his lap. 

"O-oh-! Oh my God!" He gulped, not sure how to react. His face burned bright red as he looked up at Tony. Tony's eyes went wide as he realized what a compromising position the two men were in; James' ass in the air, pressed against Bruce's lap, Bruce's hands gripping his waist. 

"I-I didn't-! I didn't do that!" Bruce exclaimed, throwing his hands in the air, face blanching. 

"Kinda hard to deal with, huh?" Tony smirked, swallowing around his nervousness. "Baby, put your ass down," Tony urged, pressing James' hips down to the couch. James let out a little whine, then looked over his shoulder through his hair at Bruce, smiling sheepishly. 

"Felt nice. Bruce-man feel good this time," he squeaked, looking a bit bashful. "Wanted more touch."

"Oh, honey, that's really _really_ not appropriate, and it's a massive hit to my ego," Tony notified the man, only joking a little bit. 

James' face began to take on the look of a trapped animal, pinned down as he was by Bruce's solid weight and Tony hovering over his head. He let out soft whimpers, and Tony could tell by the look crossing over his stormy blues that he was having some sort of memory-based episode. If he wasn't yet, he would be momentarily. 

"Bucky bad? Bucky bad boy! Bucky not mean to be dirty boy, Bucky so _dirty_! Bucky gonna get his filth all over nice dogtor-man Bruce and he _never_ forgive Bucky!" He wailed suddenly, tears beginning to stream down his face. "Not mean be so dirty!" He cried over his shoulder at Bruce, though he made no attempt to move. "Please no hits! _Please,_ Bruce-man, no spanks! No cage for Bucky! Bucky be good! He _promise_!"

"Oh…Kay, this is not good," Bruce muttered, quickly scrambling off the couch, and subsequently off of Bucky. "Hey!" He cried, trying to catch the man's attention before he could really lose his head. "Honey!" He called, to no use. 

"Sweetheart! James!" Tony cried, trying to pull him out of it too. "Hey! You're not a bad boy!" 

James quickly pushed himself up onto all fours, then turned and plopped back down on his rear, pulling his spindly legs up close to his body and wrapping himself around them. His breathing was fast and shallow, and his eyes were open, but he didn't look like he was seeing his surroundings anymore. 

"Please not take away food, Daddy Clint!" He whined, quiet and high pitched. "Please, Bucky be a good boy, Bucky so hungry! Please no take food." He shivered, his cheekbone rested atop the flat surface of his kneecaps and he rocked back and forth slightly as he retreated further into his own mind. 

Tony gently rested his hand flat against James' sharp shoulder blade, beginning to rub the skin delicately when he didn't flinch away. 

"Baby doll," he called gently. Bruce stood by in case James did anything unexpected but didn't quite know what to do. "Baby," he cooed again, drawing out the first syllable, as though he was a voice in James' head. 

"Di'nt mean it!" James whispered, his eyes going wide. 

"You're such a good boy, James," Tony called again, waiting for a response. The man's thick, near-black eyebrows drew together slightly, showing Tony that he'd heard his words. 

"You're so good, James. Come back. Come back and…let's have a treat?" He suggested, not exactly sure what to say either. 

James' lips smacked together and he blinked a few times, swallowing. 

"Bucky is a bad boy," he practically whispered, though his rocking had come to a stop. "Not deserve treats."

"No, you're James. And James is a good boy. Come on," he coaxed. "Let's have a treat and some cuddles."

"Cuddles?" James' face screwed up into confusion. "Daddy Clint not let Bucky cuddle. Daddy Clint-"

" _Hush_ ," Tony urged, quieting the man. "Clint is not here." He let the statement hang in the air and waited to see how James would react. 

The man seemed to loosen his grip on himself a bit, breathing a touch slower.

"Tony is here," he continued when James didn't respond.

"…Tony?" James repeated. His head slowly lifted off his knees and he blinked a few times, his eyes beginning to focus on what was around him again. "Tony?" He asked again, staring directly into the older man's eyes. 

Recognition seemed to dawn on James and he drew in a deep breath, his eyes going wide. 

"Tony!" He yelped, throwing his arms around Tony's shoulders and squeezing him tight. Tony wrapped his arms around James in return, drawing him close. 

"Oh, Tony!" James sobbed, his voice wavering and quiet. His body trembled as he began to cry, and Tony soothingly ran his hands up and down James' spine. 

"I'm here, sweetheart. I'm right here," he assured, kissing his temple gently. Tony turned to Bruce quickly and asked him to fetch a cup of water, and the man obliged immediately. 

When he came back to the men and handed the glass to Tony, he knelt on their side, nervous but supportive. 

"Does…does this happen often?" Bruce finally asked once James' quiet sobs had all but stopped. 

"I wouldn't say often. But it's happened a few times. It's been much worse, too. This was an easy one."

"Easy?! That was scary!" Bruce exclaimed, shocked at Tony's words. 

"Yeah but, he didn't scream or try to hurt himself. It was a pretty good one in my opinion," Tony replied calmly, trying to gently pull away from James. "Baby, drink some water, okay?" Tony coaxed, and James nodded, accepting the glass and Tony's help. 

"So…you've dealt with this. Before, you've handled a situation worse than this?" Bruce asked again. 

"Yes," Tony answered. "Why is that so surprising?"

"I…guess I just didn't think you had it in you, to be honest. I'm sorry to kinda, _doubt_ you that way but…I really didn't think you had what it takes to care for him."

"Jeez, thanks, Bruce. You're a real pal," Tony said sarcastically, standing and lifting James' minuscule weight back onto the couch. 

"No!" James shrieked when Tony released him, clutching and scrambling to get back into the man's arms. 

"Yeah…" Bruce trailed off as he watched Tony lovingly calm the man and lift him back up off the couch. He followed where Tony carried him to the kitchen and watched as he gently placed him on the table, slotting himself between James' knobby knees and holding him tightly. He watched James' face relax against Tony's chest and the way his ribs began to slow, no longer hyperventilating. 

"I think I've changed my mind about this whole situation," Bruce finally admitted. 

"What do you mean?" Tony asked, looking over at the doctor.

"Well…I can't believe how much progress you've made with him. He's so much healthier, physically, and mentally. And clearly, you have no problems handling a psychotic episode. He's talking in almost full sentences now…" Bruce smiled and shook his head. "I'm sorry I doubted you before. I'm sorry I gave you such a hard time."

Tony smiled a bit and his chest warmed at what Bruce had said, but he didn't let it show too much 

"Do me a favor and go in that cupboard," he directed the man, pointing behind him. "There's a bowl of candy. Grab me a piece or two of chocolate, please."

Bruce nodded and did as he was told, retrieving the candy.

"Here babe," Tony said, unwrapping a little square of candy behind James' back. "Have this treat, okay? It's your favorite." He waived the candy under James' nose for him to smell it, and when the scent perked the man up, Tony gently slipped it between his lips. 

"Good?" Tony asked as the man slowly began to chew. James nodded his head, leaning against Tony's chest again. He was clearly tired. He might not have outwardly shown the amount of distress he was in, but it had clearly taken a lot out of him.

"Hey, how close are you to being done with your exam?" Tony asked turning over his shoulder to Bruce. 

"Uh, I think I could just measure his weight, and we'd be done."

"Okay. Let's try to get that done. I think he needs to get some rest," Tony said softly, carding his fingers through James' long hair. 

"Sure. I can get the scale and bring it out here?" Bruce suggested. "I remember where you keep it."

"Okay, go ahead. I'll try to get him to stand on it."

Bruce hurried to the bathroom and Tony could hear him rooting around. He smiled to himself a bit. It felt like he had the upper hand, _finally._

"Hey babe, we're going to stand on the scale for Mr. Bruce, okay? He's going to see how much you weigh, and then we'll be all done, alright?"

James groaned but didn't otherwise respond. 

"Okay! I got it!" Bruce panted, rushing back to the kitchen and setting down the scale on the floor. 

"You ready honey?" Tony asked, sliding James from the edge of the table and coaxing him to stand. He lead the slight man the few steps to the scale and James moaned again, letting out a few whines as he looked pitifully at Tony. He didn't like the scale at all. 

"It's okay. It'll be quick, just like last time. Ready?" Tony asked, holding his hand as he pulled him up onto the device. James let out a few pitiful sounds, but he stood obediently as all three of the men watched the number adjusting to his weight. 

The silence was palpable as the needle slowed, settling on a number. Finally, it stopped. 

Tony and Bruce both let out an excited shout, jumping for joy when they saw the number. James flinched but Tony scooped him up off the scale, spinning him joyously. 

"You did it! Baby! A hundred and ten pounds! You gained _twelve whole pounds_! You're amazing!" He celebrated, kissing James' forehead, cheeks, and chin excitedly.

" _You_ did it, Tony!" Bruce grinned, clearly pleased with his visit. "I have to write it with my notes!" He exclaimed, rushing back to the living room to retrieve his bag and notebook. 

Tony smiled wide as he set James back on his feet, and James couldn't help but smile nervously in return. "Did it?" He asked shyly. 

"Yes! You've done such a wonderful job getting healthy! You've really done so well, I'm so proud of you!"

James blushed but continued smiling. ”Th-thank you, Daddy," he murmured sheepishly. Tony pulled him into a tight embrace again, before turning toward Bruce in the living room. 

"Hey, is it okay if he goes to lay down?" He asked the bespectacled man. 

"Oh, sure!" Bruce called as his head popped over the top of the couch, curls bouncing. "I'm all finished with him, as long as you have a minute to talk once you come back?"

"Sure thing!" Tony called as he began to lead James down the hall. "C'mon babe."

He quickly pulled the fluffy comforter back as they reached the bed, making room to tuck James in. 

"I'm sure you're pretty tired, huh sweetheart?" Tony asked as he held his hand out for James to take. James nodded and took the offered hand, climbing clumsily into the bed. 

"Tired," he repeated. His eyes looked heavy as the stress he'd been through seemed to be crashing down on him all at once. 

He looked up at Tony with swollen, icy blue eyes. "Bruce not mad at James?" He asked in a tiny voice. 

"No, sweet pea. He's not mad. And I'm going to get someone to help you deal with things a bit more… _normally,_ " he promised, though he intentionally didn't mention any specifics on when. 

He was so happy that James was doing so well and making such good progress that even Bruce was pleased, but still. Three days hung over him like the ultimate deadline and it ached in Tony's stomach. 

He leaned in to press a kiss to James' temple, smoothing his hair behind his ear with a fingertip. "You gonna be okay here alone, darlin'?" He asked softly as James snuggled into the biggest, fluffiest pillow on the bed. 

"Mmhmm. S'okay daddy," he barely whispered, falling easily into sleep. Tony smiled and pulled the blanket up to his chin, quietly leaving the bedroom. 

He quickly returned to Bruce, who had settled back on the couch, papers of notes spread out before him. 

"I can't believe how quickly he's turned around," Bruce smiled as Tony sat a space away from him on the couch. "His progress is remarkable."

"Yeah. Not gonna do him any good, though, if I can't manage to take him away from the horror show he was living in for good," Tony responded sadly, turning to look at his own feet. 

"So, when's he supposed to go back?"

"Soon. A few days."

"And what about Steve? He can't help?" 

"Not really. We have to get some kind of physical proof of abuse, or there's nothing legally that can be done."

"Well, how do you expect to get that?" 

Tony sighed, scrubbing his hands through his hair as he leaned back against the couch. "I honestly have no fucking clue. We have to let James go back and be hurt again, and get evidence of it. I don't understand what Steve's planning if anything. I could try to plant some kind of hidden camera, but the guy doesn't let James wear clothes. Where would I hide it?"

"Let him get hurt again? For evidence? Tony, do you understand how bad that would fuck him up mentally? Pretty fucking bad!" Bruce exclaimed, chocolate brown eyes wide beneath his thick-rimmed glasses. 

"You're telling me," Tony groaned. "He's gonna hate me when that asshole walks through this door again and I let him take him back. I honestly don't know if he'll ever forgive me."

"Tony…," Bruce began, but trailed off, knowing there wasn't much he could say to debate the issue. "Does he know the guys coming back?" 

"I haven't told him. I don't want him to worry about that in his last bit of time here. I'm just…what if it _is_ the last time I see him?" Tony asked, turning to Bruce with all of his insecurities laid bare in his eyes. 

"Let's...let's just hope not. I believe, at this point, that he's better off with you than anywhere else. I really wish you'd keep the fornication out of the picture until he's progressed a tad more but…he's told me himself that he wanted it. I really can't say anything else about it."

Tony's face turned scarlet but he didn't answer, not sure what exactly he could say anyway. 

They spent a moment in silence, contemplating the whole situation and the hopelessness of it when they were broken out of their thoughts by Tony's phone chiming in his pocket. 

Tony hesitated before pulling the device from his jeans and slowly clicking the screen on. His face paled as he looked at it. 

"Oh shit."

"What?" Bruce asked, noticing the worry on Tony's face. 

"It's him. It's Clint."

Bruce bolted upright and quickly moved closer to Tony on the couch. "What is it, what's he say?!" He asked frantically, refraining from looking over Tony's shoulder. 

"I-I don't know," he admitted, slowly unlocking his screen to open the message. 

"C'mon, Tony! This is no time to freeze! What's he say?" Bruce pressed. 

Tony swallowed as he read the message, first to himself, then slowly out loud to Bruce. 

_Sorry it's been so long since I've been in contact. I've been pretty busy. I'm out here for work, but by chance, I happened to find a few new customers that would love a kitten, if you know what I mean ;)_

Another message rolled in as Tony finished reading the first one.

_Actually, I've been missing my little kitten myself while I've been out here. He's gonna be awfully sore and tired the first few days after I get home_

Tony's stomach churned unpleasantly at the multitude of meanings behind the words. 

_Anyway, I'm checking in to see if you need me to send any money for cat food or anything like that. Has he been behaving? He knows I'll tan his hide if he's been giving you any problems_

The two men sat in silence for another moment before Bruce finally spoke up. "Customers?" He repeated, his voice trembling a bit. 

Tony scrubbed his hand over his face before replying, "he sells James out like a whore to men who pay enough. According to James, they're never very friendly."

"Well, you gotta imagine, a guy that's willing to pay for sex is willing to pay for something specific. Maybe this Clint guy is looking for John's that want to rough up someone who…can't fight back."

Tony felt nausea climbing up his sinuses. "Probably. I don't know what to say to him," he admitted, hands sweaty and shaking. 

"Tell him he's been fine, and try to ask some questions. See if you can get him talking."

"About what?"

"About when he's coming back, about his clients, about…I don't know! Anything!"

"I still don't have a plan!" 

"We'll have to figure one out then!" Bruce exclaimed. The two men looked at each other for a long moment before Tony finally nodded. 

"Okay," he began typing slowly. "How about, no he's been great. He's very sweet. No need for cat food. When do you plan to pick him up?" He looked at Bruce before he hit send. 

"Sounds okay."

Tony sent the message and the two waited in silence for a response back, watching the little dots bouncing at the bottom of the screen intently. 

_I'll be back in a few days. Late afternoon or so, I'd say. Have you tried him out yet? I told you he's tight. Better get a good hard fuck in if you haven't already lol_

Tony's stomach lurched. "Ugh, I'm gonna be sick," he groaned. He began typing another response. 

"Are your clients planning on visiting him right away? Or are they going to give him a day or two to get used to being back home?" He asked, ignoring Clint's message entirely. 

_I have a guy scheduled for two days after I'm home, but if you know anyone that's looking, I'll willingly rent him out before then_

Both Bruce and Tony groaned in disgust as they read the message.

"Sick!" Bruce exclaimed, looking green. "That poor boy!"

"Now do you see why I'm so worried?" Tony nearly shouted, keeping his voice down for James' sake. 

"Wait a minute," Bruce stopped Tony suddenly, looking like he was scanning his thoughts internally. "Clients."

"Yes, I know about the clients," Tony repeated in a grumble. 

"No, Tony! Steve!" Bruce exclaimed, beginning to look excited. 

"What about Steve?" Tony asked in confusion. 

"Steve!" Bruce nearly yelled, a huge smile crossing his face. "Hidden cameras! Clients! _Steve!!_ "

Tony gasped as his brain caught up with Bruce's. "Holy fucking shit," he breathed, quickly turning back to his phone to start typing again.

"I actually do know a guy. How much is it?" Tony typed, sweating as his nerves went into hyperdrive. 

The dots began bouncing again. 

_Depends on what he wants. One quick fuck is 500 for an hour. If he likes the sadism, it's 1000. I'm willing to set up any kind of scenario he wants, but the ones that leave him useless cost more. No broken bones but making him bleed is fine. What's your guy like?_

Tony came to a halt, hand covering his mouth as his eyes widened and filled with tears. He talked about putting James through abuse as though he were talking about taking him for a walk. As though it were a normal, everyday occurrence. 

"Tell him you'll get back to him," Bruce quietly urged, resting a hand on Tony's leg gently. 

Tony tore his eyes away from the message and a fat tear rolled down his cheek as he did. "Why?" He asked, wiping his face quickly. 

"You have to talk to Steve, get him involved first. He has to be in on it from the jump or this guy's gonna know something's up."

Tony nodded. He had a point. 

His fingers hovered over the keyboard for a second before he sent out his response. 

"I'll have to get back to you on that, I'm not 100 about what he's into. Talk to you later"

"Good," Bruce said, clapping his hand against Tony's shoulder. "Now call Steve."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading if you made it this far!  
> Care to leave a comment?  
> Sorry if this is not really realistic, it's kinda just a self-indulgent thing oof  
> Hopefully, you're enjoying it!


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> James woke a few hours after the sun when the birds had begun to grow raucous in the trees. His eyes fluttered open and he smiled up at Tony.
> 
> "G'mornin', Tony," he chirped sweetly with a yawn.
> 
> "Good morning, star shine. How'd you sleep?" Tony asked, quietly wiping a tear from the corner of his eye.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! Thanks for joining me for this extra-long chapter! I'll leave more notes at the end so you can get right to the story, but be warned; I did write a completely unnecessary sex scene just for my own pleasure. I'll mark it with this ** at the beginning and this *** at the end so you can skip it if you don't want to read it, but let's be real. Free gratuitous sex scene? 9 times out of ten, it's worth it.

"Jesus H. Christ, I can't believe he sent these messages," Steve groaned as he scrolled through the interactions between Tony and Clint on the former's phone. 

"Please tell me you'll help," Tony begged, placing three glasses of liquor on the coffee table before them.

He'd called Steve immediately after sending his last message to Clint. Luckily, he'd been available and agreed to come right over.

The blonde sighed as he thought about it, scanning the messages once again. 

"We have a guy that usually does undercover stuff at the office," he stated.

"So you won't?" Tony asked, feeling his heart drop. 

"Oh, I am. I will. I can't let a stranger go in there with him. He wouldn't understand, he wouldn't feel safe."

Tony nodded gratefully and took a sip of his own glass, his heart thudding arrhythmically in its cage. 

"It would probably be easier for you to text him," Bruce pointed out to Steve as he took a swig of his own amber liquid. 

"Most likely. How's he feel about me having his number?" Steve asked Tony. 

"I didn't ask. Won't that be kinda dangerous for you?" 

"Nah," Steve replied, handing Tony back his phone and reaching for his glass. "I use cheap phones for things like that. Burner phones." He didn't drink his glass, he just rolled it between his hands slowly.

"I gotta think of a character," Steve stated suddenly. "It has to be believable or he's gonna pick up on it, easy. Then, James and I will both be at risk, depending on how dangerous this guy is."

"You mean, like a backstory?" Tony prodded. 

"Kinda. Maybe a loose backstory but mostly things that are important now. He wants to know what my kinks are and things like that, so he can judge how much to charge."

"The money's no problem by the way," Tony interjected. "I'm willing to pay for anything."

"Thanks, Tony. I might need your help on that, but I'll be sure the money gets back to you."

Tony just nodded. He glanced down the hallway to where the fragile, sweet man lay sleeping, hoping he wouldn't be too horribly hurt by it all in the end. That was really all he could hope for. 

"He'll be okay, Tone," Bruce assured from Steve's opposite side. "We'll get him out of this."

Tony turned his attention back to the two men quietly, regarding them both, and nodded again before knocking back the rest of his whiskey. 

"Uh, small problem," Steve said quietly, catching both Tony and Bruce's attention. 

"What? What is it?" Tony asked, alarmed. 

"Well, I really don't know much about all that kinky stuff," he admitted bashfully. "At least, not enough for this guy to believe that I know what I'm doing, or what I'm looking for."

"You seriously don't have any kinks?" Bruce asked with a slight smirk on his lips. 

"Not even spanking?" Tony added, his own grin on his face. 

The blonde between them flushed fuchsia and shook his head. "I-I…haven't tried that."

Tony and Bruce snorted, chuckling softly. 

"Maybe a little choking?" Bruce asked, laughing when Steve shook his head again. 

"Too violent," he stated.

"What about having someone watch?" Tony questioned.

"Being outside?" Bruce added.

"Outside?" Steve parroted, his face screwing up in confusion and what might have been disgust. "That's dirty, why would you do that?"

Tony and Bruce howled with laughter, Steve between them red and uncomfortable before Tony stood back up to retrieve the bottle of golden liquor from the kitchen. 

"Yeah. Yeah, you need to work on that," Bruce smiled as he began to sober up from his laughter. 

"This guy deals with serious BDSM people, you need to try really _really_ hard not to be so vanilla," Tony informed, filling and topping off their glasses. "And remember, you don't have to actually do any of these things, you just have to sound like you enjoy them."

"This is the most awkward thing I've ever done," Steve admitted, finally draining his glass in one gulp. 

Over the next few hours, Tony and Bruce helped Steve work out a character to play for Clint. Someone they believed he'd like, or at least, someone he'd like to take money from. Finally, it started to get late, and Tony began to hear James stirring in the bedroom. 

"He's up, guys. Clint talk is over for now. Can we meet up again in the next couple of days to really hammer this out?" He asked both of the professional men hopefully. 

"For sure," Steve replied, beginning to feel confident in his ruse. 

"Uh, I have a shift at the hospital tomorrow morning, but I should be able to be here around 3," Bruce replied. Tony nodded his thanks and the three men turned down the hallway as they heard the door unlatch. 

James emerged from the bedroom yawning, rubbing his fists against his eyes. His hair was a mess, a little matted and going in every direction, and his clothes were disheveled and off kilt. The three men on the couch each smiled a different but equally warm grin at him. 

”Um, g'mornin',” James murmured in his sweet little voice, a bit gravelly from sleep. He plodded his way down the hallway on nearly silent feet and plunked himself down on Tony's lap, pulling his feet up and draping his legs across the other two men. 

He smiled at Steve and Bruce as he leaned his head against Tony's chest.

"Hiya, Stevie. You come visit?" He asked, knowing Steve hadn't been there when he'd laid down. 

"Yeah," Steve replied warmly, draping his arm over James' legs. "Just thought I'd come to see how my buddy's doing."

James grinned wide and let out a little giggle. 

"James has a good day. Bruce-man said James did good at food. And James got to give his gift to Tony!" He added excitedly, drawing a soft groan of embarrassment from Tony's lips. 

"Give your gift?" Steve repeated, his face showing his confusion. Tony saw it dawn on the man a moment later and he broke out into raucous laughter.

"Congratulations, bud. Feels nice to give it up for yourself, huh?" Steve asked, not a bit of perturbation on his face or in his body language. 

James nodded excitedly, leaning forward toward Steve in his happiness. 

"I guess I did have the wrong impression," Bruce muttered quietly to himself. Steve turned toward him and waited for him to elaborate. 

"Well, I thought…I just didn't think that James had the mental capacity to truly give his consent yet, but…"

"He's a classy man," Steve chuckled, slapping the side of James' leg playfully, pulling a giggle from James. "He knows when he wants it."

"James _wanted_ it!" He chirped surely, nodding his head gravely. The three men on the couch laughed and groaned together. 

"Mm, Daddy?" James murmured when the laughter died down, looking up at Tony.

"Yeah, babe?"

"James is hungry," he announced, looking shy. Tony grinned. It was the first time he could remember James actually vocally asking for food. Before, he'd just pointed with his nose like some kind of hunting dog or hung around in the vicinity of food when it was around, a hopeful look on his face.

"Of course! It's about that time huh? And we definitely want to keep your weight going in the right direction. He's done so well, he's gained twelve pounds!" Tony happily informed Steve beside him. 

"That's awesome, champ! Food is amazing, isn't it?" Steve grinned at James. 

James nodded his head with a smile. "I like when Daddy Tony cook for James."

"You like my cooking?" Tony chuckled. "Just wait until you have something made by someone who knows what they're doing!"

All four of the men laughed for a moment before Tony nudged James. 

"C'mon, let's make you something. You guys hungry?" He asked Steve and Bruce, standing once James had gotten up. 

"Nah, I gotta head home. Early shift tomorrow," Bruce reminded.

"Yeah, I should get going too. But I'll be back tomorrow sometime in the afternoon," Steve added. 

Tony and James bid the two men goodbye at the door and Tony set about making an easy pasta dish for James. He wasn't feeling particularly hungry himself. 

He was too worried about how the next day would go, just two days before Clint was due back. Steve would be in contact with him if everything went well, and from there it was going to be a game of "hurry up and wait" with the dangerous man. He hoped they could pull this off. If they couldn't...Tony didn't want to imagine the kind of fate James would meet. 

The next afternoon, Tony had prepared a hot bubble bath for James and filled it with all sorts of fizzing things, random small items that could be considered toys, and a bowl full of popcorn for the man to munch on. He'd told him that he wanted James to be clean when Bruce and Steve got there, but really, he just didn't want him to hear about what was to happen. He didn't need him knowing a full two days prior to it happening. 

Steve showed up with a cheap old flip phone in his hand and they'd gathered in the kitchen to make drinks while they waited for Bruce. 

"Have you heard back from Clint yet?" Steve asked, careful to keep his voice down so that James wouldn't hear. 

"No, the last thing he sent me was asking about what you're into. I should probably message him now, shouldn't I?"

"It could be a good idea. Get him to okay me texting him so we can talk to him."

Tony nodded and shoved down the icy spike of anxiety and guilt in his gut as he pulled out his phone to open his messages. He shuddered as he scanned over the last few that Clint had sent. 

He typed something slow and deliberate, thinking over his wording carefully as he did. 

"How's this sound," He started. "Hey, my friend is interested in a purchase. Can I give him your number?” Tony read the message aloud to Steve. "Straight to the point." 

"Perfect," Steve responded, hiding his own nerves well. The response came almost instantly. 

_Definitely. I'll give him a little discount because he's a friend of yours_

"How sweet," Tony snarked, taking a sip of his drink. 

"Okay. Looks like it's time to get this show on the road," Steve sighed, glancing at Tony's phone screen to thumb the number into his own phone. "I'll wait a minute so it seems more realistic. It would take a minute for you to get to me and me to get to him."

"Good point," Tony agreed. 

They still had a bit of time before Bruce would be there, and Tony was feeling anxious. 

"Where's the squirt?" Steve asked, glancing around him. 

"He's in the bath playing."

Steve smiled. "That's cute." Tony smiled back. 

"You really like him." It was a statement, not a question, and he watched Steve's cheeks pink under his own glass as he took a drink. 

"I do. He's a sweetheart. I'm really glad I get to be here to help him and to watch him evolve the way he is."

"That's really sweet, Steve," Tony admitted.

"Yeah," Steve said glancing away somewhat bashfully. "Actually, I'm hoping once this is all over and he's getting help, that you'll let me be in his life still. Like, take him to a ball game and show him the aquarium or something like that."

"Really? What's the attraction for you?" Tony asked curiously. 

"Uh, honestly? He just feels so… _familial_. Like, he feels like my kid brother. I wanna show him big brother stuff, you know? Take him to get some good Brooklyn style pizza and let him play with my dog." Steve chuckled quietly as he thought about it. 

"Wow. I…really think he would love that, Steve. He really seems to like you too. He clearly feels safe with you. He didn't like Bruce _at all_ ," Tony laughed thinking back on all the scowls and the way he'd stuck his nose in the air. 

"No shit!" Steve exclaimed, clapping his hands once as he laughed joyfully. "That guy can really be such a wet blanket though!" 

"Yeah well, he's no saltine though, right?" Tony ribbed, elbowing Steve playfully. 

"What do you mean?" Steve asked, wiping a tear from the corner of his eye. 

"Plain Jane, vanilla wafer, however you want to say it," Tony pressed with a grin. "Mr. Absolutely-No-Kinks." His grin widened as he watched Steve's face grow redder. 

"There's nothing wrong with liking to make love to a woman or a man in a casual, safe, and sane way! Sorry I don't need my nuts in a vice and my nipples in a cheese grater to get off!" He defended, red-faced, and clearly embarrassed.

Tony burst out in loud laughter, crossing the kitchen to sit in one of the chairs at the table. Steve followed a moment after and sat a seat away, smiling at himself a bit.

"You're right," Tony chuckled, taking a breath. "There's nothing wrong with that." His face sobered a bit as he thought, once again, about the situation for which they were gathered. "So…should you text him?"

"I suppose," Steve sighed, clearly not wanting to do it any more than Tony did. He flipped open the cheap cell and began to compose a new message, the first on the device.

"What'd you say?" Tony asked before Steve could even finish typing.

"It says," Steve started slowly as he finished his thought. "Hey, this is Tony's friend. Let's chat."

"That's a good start," Tony said, just to have something to say. 

A silence fell over them both as they got lost in their thoughts about the horrible situation that they found themselves in. James could be heard splashing gently and making little noises as he played down the hallway, and it just reinforced why they were doing it in the first place.

Just then, a small ping sounded in the quiet room, startling both the blonde and the brunette out of their thoughts.

"Shit," Steve exclaimed softly, probably just to express his dread at beginning this conversation. He flipped the phone opened again and clicked to open the message, reading it aloud.

" _Hey, thanks for reaching out. So you want to board the cat?_ " Steve read, eyebrows furrowing for a fraction of a second as he did. "He's smart," he added as an afterthought.

"Yes, how much for the day?" Steve said as he typed.

"No, ask about time rates first," Tony suggested.

"Okay…" Steve trailed off and he clicked the back button. "Yes, what are the rates for time?"

"Better."

They waited a few more seconds before another message rolled in, Steve leaving the phone open this time.

" _It's typically 700 for an hour, 1,100 for the whole night._ "

"That's…steep?" Tony questioned, not really sure what was a good or bad rate for human trafficking.

"Just depends on the seller, I think," Steve replied offhandedly. He picked up his glass with a shaky hand and took a slug, his nerves beginning to get the best of him.

Another message came in.

" _That's the usual rate. I told Tony I'd give you a discount, though. You want all night?_ " Steve read out.

"Do you think it's a good idea to agree to that?" Tony asked, not sure why he felt like an hour seemed safer than a night.

"Nah, I'll tell him an hour," Steve responded as he sent the message. The message came back swiftly. Seemed that Clint had time on his hands.

" _I'll do 550, how's that?_ " Steve looked up at Tony.

"That's most likely his usual rate and he's trying to make it seem like it's a steal."

"Sleazy," Tony responded, beginning to feel the familiar churnings of unease in his guts.

"Standard," Steve stated offhandedly. He typed in, "Sounds good, when?"

" _He'll be available three days from now at the soonest. He'll be busy the evening after, however. We need to discuss extras, too._

"What kind of extras?" Tony asked, confusion showing on his face.

"I honestly don't know," Steve answered with a slight shrug. They didn't have long to wonder when another message came in. 

" _If there's any chance of serious injury, it'll cost more. Food included is extra. Involving alcohol costs extra. And of course, there'll be a charge if you go over the time, though you're more than welcome to._ "

"That sounds a little too close to caring," Tony pointed out suspiciously. "But he wants to charge extra for food. Because he doesn't want him to eat real food. This guy is insane."

"Yeah, how do you know this guy?" Steve asked, arching an eyebrow at Tony. 

"I _don't_ really know him, not anymore. I met him a long time ago in a club and I didn't like the way he treated me."

"Did you tell him?" Steve asked, genuinely seeming interested. 

"I did, and he laughed. He gets off on other people's pain, so it wasn't any big deal to him."

"So, that's definitely what poor Jay has been going through for…most likely years now," Steve mused, eyes fading out as he got lost in his thoughts. 

"I just can't believe he's so worried about making money off the poor guy. I mean, I just can't imagine paying to have sex with someone that looks like a skeleton, and who's clearly not enjoying it. I just can't _fathom_ that," Tony shook his head in disbelief. Once again, they were reminded of why their mission was so important and broke into silence before Steve realized he should respond to Clint's last message. 

"I don't plan on having any alcohol…" he trailed off as he thought about the situation before committing to anything.

"You should say you have a food fetish, then you can get something in his stomach while you're there," Tony suggested. "Especially since he'll be there with him for at least a day before you see him."

Steve's expression turned to one of almost shock as he turned toward Tony. "What do you mean?"

"Well, think about it. He leaves here Friday, most likely morning or afternoon. Clint is offering you first dibs, but that's still not until Saturday night. He's gotta survive alone until then," Tony answered mournfully.

"Jesus," Steve whispered as he realized that Tony was right. "Maybe I should try to get in earlier in the day, tell him I'll pay for extra time or something."

"That could be a good idea, maybe just see how early he'll get you in. But I definitely think you should say you have a food thing. Take something to help him feel safe, comforted."

"Yeah…So, 'I don't have any plans for alcohol, but I do like to play with my food a bit. How early can I get him?' Good?"

"Good."

_So, with the hourly rate and extra for food, It'll run you 600. I can get you in at four at the earliest, and you provide your own digs._

"Four's not bad," Tony pointed out.

"Not great either."

"None of this is great," Tony reminded him.

Another message rolled in.

_Definitely no chance of bodily harm further than surface deep, right?_

"No chance," Steve stated as he typed, no need for deliberation on that one. "Just a little spanking, maybe some slapping, but nothing serious."

_Good. We have a deal?_

Steve looked up from the old phone at Tony as they both thought over the question silently.

"I think that probably sounds about as good as it can get," Tony stated quietly, and Steve nodded in agreement.

"What did we even need old Bruce for, right?" Steve tried to joke, though it fell flat.

"He's here to coach _you_ ," Tony reminded with a mirthless smile.

"It's a deal," Steve typed and pressed send with an anxious sigh.

_Good. 4 on Saturday, 600 cash. No cash, no deal. I'll send the address Saturday morning._

Steve and Tony looked at each other once again, both of them looking worse for the wear after having made what seemed like a deal with the devil.

Suddenly they heard James calling from the bathroom.

"Daddy?" His sweet, cool voice rang out through the silence. "Daddy Tony? I start to gettin' cold," He called shyly down the hall.

Tony's lips quirked up at the corners and he swallowed thickly through a dry throat.

"I'll go check on the little chickadee. Feel free to make yourself at home," Tony offered, glancing at the clock that hung on the wall of the kitchen. It was nearly four in the afternoon and Bruce still hadn't been in contact yet. He must be held up with patients.

Steve nodded and drew his glass back to his lips, taking a deep pull.

"And refresh my drink, would ya?" Tony called as he disappeared down the hallway.

Tony had helped James from the bath and helped him dry and dress, running his old brush through his long locks to free it of snarls before leading him out into the living room where Steve sat comfortably with another drink. He squealed excitedly when he saw that Steve had come to visit for a second night in a row, happily flouncing down beside him and snuggling right in.

Tony felt his heart being tugged by the knowledge that James was going to be ripped from the comfort of his home in less than forty-eight hours, and he couldn't do a thing about it.

He tried to keep a smile on his face though, trying to keep James as happy and comfortable as he possibly could until that time. He still hadn't decided how or when to break the news to the man.

It was almost half-past five when Bruce finally showed up, arms laden with three huge, heavy pizzas and a few bottles of sodas.

"Hope you guys haven't eaten yet! I felt bad I got caught up so late," he stated by way of apology as he stepped through the door.

"No problem, Bruce. Steve and I took care of the business aspect. Just the homework that needs to be done, now," Tony informed the man in a hushed tone as he helped Bruce with all the things in his hands. "Probably a good thing you're late, we can't really prep him for that until James goes to sleep for the night."

"Good point. Hope you guys like the works, I got one all veggie, one all meat and one Hawaiian."

"Hawaiian?" Tony echoed. "As in-"

"Pineapple, yes, it's the best pizza topping. It pairs perfectly with the sweetness of the fruit and savory of the pizza, you godless heathen. Don't argue with me on that," Bruce stated in a faux-warning tone. Tony scoffed a chuckle and leaned in to wrap the man in a quick hug after he set the boxes on the table. 

"Anyone hungry?" Tony called to Steve and James in the living room.

After they'd all eaten and cleaned up, they'd settled on the couch. James had gotten himself cozy in Steve's lap, curled and snuggled against his chest and the big blonde had chosen a movie for them to pass the time with until James went to bed. 

He chose the Wizard of Oz, stating that it had been one of his favorites as a child himself, and James had happily watched the first half of it. Eventually, though, he'd fallen asleep on Steve's chest, his arms wrapped around his muscular torso.

"He out?" Tony whispered to Steve, unable to see James' face for the way the shadows had fallen across it. 

"Yep. Like a light," Steve whispered back, cradling a hand gently against the back of his head subconsciously, the way a parent would to a child.

"I'll go put him in bed," Tony stated, standing to lift the thin man. 

"No, it's okay," Steve offered, adjusting his grip. "I'll take him." 

He stood effortlessly, holding James to his chest as he quietly walked down the hallway, and Tony couldn't help but smile as he watched them go. He could tell Steve was feeling guilty for the role he was going to play in their rescue mission. 

"So, now we teach him how to be kinky?" Bruce asked softly with a yawn after Steve had disappeared with James into Tony's bedroom. 

"I suppose so," Tony replied, sitting back down beside the curly-haired man. "We have to teach him how to handle someone like Clint."

"I've never dealt with someone like Clint, myself," Bruce announced carefully, being sure that Tony understood that he wasn't a professional either. 

"Well, neither have I. But I think between the three of us, Steve's the worst to send in. He's going to need the most coaching."

"That's fair. So…how do we teach him?" Bruce leaned forward and crossed his legs, turning his body toward Tony. "Do we just…start doing kinky things to him and hope he pays attention?"  
Tony laughed nervously, adjusting himself in his seat when Bruce moved closer. 

"Probably not," Tony chuckled, a bit anxiously. "I think we should role-play a little bit so we can coach him on ways to respond and how to act."

"Okay, yeah. We can take turns being Clint."

Tony shuddered. "Yeah," he trailed off quietly. 

They heard the bedroom door latch closed softly and turned to see Steve heading back down the hall toward them. 

"Okay, so…I guess I'm ready for school?" He murmured sheepishly.

Tony and Bruce took a little time to answer Steve's questions about different kinks and terminology, giving the man a basic grasp on that world before they began anything else. Then, the real work began.

"No no, when he answers the door, you have to be confident!" Bruce coached, being a bystander as Tony played the seller first. "Don't break eye contact to look at the ground, if you're a good dominant, you'll have confidence!"

Steve blew out a deep breath and cleared his throat, his face red and hot. 

"Okay, let me try again." He paused for a second, then inhaled deeply, before raising his eyes and squaring his shoulders, raising himself to his full height. 

He pretended to knock on an invisible door and Tony pretended to open it, greeting Steve as if he'd never met him before, a little cautious and suspicious as he raised his hand to shake with Steve. 

The blonde didn't look away this time, keeping a firm gaze on Tony as he shook hands. "Hello, sir. I'm-"

"No," Bruce cut in again. "Don't call him sir. You're playing the role of 'in-charge', you wouldn't immediately relinquish that to him."

"So, what am I supposed to say?" Steve asked, beginning to feel frustrated already. 

"Just say hello," Tony offered. "I'm here for the cat."

"Okay. Hello," Steve started again, keeping his face placid. "I'm here for the cat."

"Okay, good. I think you should have the basic conversation pretty well. Just remember, don't call him sir or give him power over you. Makes you look like a bad dominant."

"Honestly, he probably won't care how bad of a dom he is," Tony pointed out to Bruce.

"Maybe, maybe not. It's probably just best not to give him a reason to become suspicious."

The three men nodded as they thought about what Bruce had said. 

"What if he gets a little too personal?" Steve suddenly broke the silence. 

"Like, asking questions?" Tony asked to clarify.

"No like, what if he tries to touch me or gets invasive? What if he doesn't let me have a private room with him or something?"

"You should request a room if he doesn't offer you one," Bruce stated. "It's imperative that you have privacy."

"Why don't we act out a little scene and Steve watches?" Tony suggested. "We can all try a few scenarios so that he can have a basis of reference for a variety of situations."

"Alright. You be Steve," Bruce coached, standing with his hands in his pockets.

Tony cleared his throat and said, "Hey, I'm here for the cat."

"Right on time, come on in," Bruce greeted, turning and walking to the couch. "Have a seat."

"I'd rather just pick up the cat, actually," Tony stated, still pretending to be Steve. 

"Alright, he's right this way," Bruce stated, standing and gesturing with his hand for Tony to walk toward the kitchen. 

"What if he touches me now?" Steve asked from the other side of the living room. 

Bruce reached forward and grabbed Tony's ass, cupping a handful of it.

"Hey! Please refrain from touching me, that's not what I paid for," Tony growled with a furrowed brow back at Bruce. 

"Okay, that's actually pretty good," Steve admitted, trying to think of another situation that he was worried about. "Well, what if he wants to stay in the room with me and James?"

"Ask him politely but firmly to leave. He's taking cash from you, remind him that it should be just how you want it."

"Okay, let's try with Steve again, I'll be the seller this time," Bruce suggested, moving to stand in front of Steve again. Steve blew out another nervous breath as he prepared himself. 

"You gotta stop doing that, too. Be confident," Bruce coached. 

Steve stood up tall again and puffed his chest out a bit. 

"I'm here to see the cat," he announced again. 

"Good conviction. Just, lower your eyebrows a bit. Now tilt your chin up, look down your nose a little. Square your jaw?" Bruce coached, tilting Steven's head as he did. "Look at that," he announced once Steve was in the right position. "From Golden Retriever to Rottweiler in a look, am I right?" He asked Tony, who'd stepped closer to watch.

"Oh most definitely. Who knew Mr. Golden boy Rogers had a sexy side?" Tony joked, lightening the mood a bit. 

"Keep that attitude while you're with Clint and you'll be golden," Bruce announced. 

"So what if he asks about my kinks?" Steve asked nervously, though he was beginning to feel more confident. 

"Well, have you decided what your kinks are?" Tony asked. 

"Um, I don't, don't really know too much about it," Steve admitted, trailing off shyly. 

Bruce sighed and shook his head gently, thinking about it. "I feel like you'd have to experience something to really know how to do it," he rationalized, looking from Tony to Steve. 

"Probably true," Tony agreed. 

"So…are you willing to try out a couple of things tonight?" Bruce asked Steve. 

The blonde man blushed and swallowed hard, blue eyes growing huge as he regarded Bruce. "Uh."

"Let's just try something light," Bruce decided, taking Steve by the waistband of his slacks and leading him toward the couch. "Is this okay with you?" He asked as an afterthought, pushing the blonde down onto his back. 

"I, I-I, I-" Steve stuttered, looking helplessly at Tony.

"You know, normally I might say this wouldn't help but…in this case, I really think it wouldn't hurt," Tony admitted honestly, taking an intrigued step closer. 

Bruce quickly threw his leg over Steve's hips, straddling his lap comfortably. Tony quirked an eyebrow as he watched Bruce's sure movements and his comfort with them and wondered if maybe Bruce wasn't more experienced than he was letting on. 

"Tony, do you have any ropes or candles?" He asked, turning over his shoulder to look at Tony.

"C-candles?" Steve repeated in a shaky voice.

"Actually, I have both those things," Tony smirked, moving to retrieve a bundle of candles from a junk drawer in the kitchen and an old nylon rope he kept in a utility closet by the back door.

"Oh, perfect," Steve muttered, a cold sweat breaking out on his forehead. 

Tony handed the items to Bruce and sat on the edge of the coffee table to watch, not denying his interest and delight in watching Bruce dominating Steve on his couch. 

Bruce made quick work of pulling off Steve's shirt, leaving him partially exposed and nervous, then he began to bind the man's hands above his head. When he was finished, there was still plenty of rope left hanging from the side of the couch.

"Uh, h-how far is this going to go?" Steve asked shakily, testing the surprisingly tight knot in the rope that bound him. 

**"As far as your dominant wants it to," Bruce announced, confidence and power oozing from his voice as he spoke. "Typically, the dominant and submissive would come to an agreement on what they both want from the scene and where their limits are, but since you're supposed to be going in there knowing you'll be breaking boundaries and taking what you want, I'm going to push you a bit," Bruce informed Steve calmly. He lit one of the long candlesticks that Tony had brought and set it to the side on the coffee table near Tony. 

"Tying you up is a kink," Bruce informed Steve as he slowly unbuttoned his shirt, eyes raking greedily over Steve's chest. "Having Tony watch is a kink."

Steve gulped and glanced at Tony, then quickly focused on Bruce again, watching his every deliberate move. "I-I don't like having an audience," he whispered. 

"I do," Bruce grinned, teasing his own nipples for a second as he began to swivel his hips softly in Steve's lap. "And you're going to be a good boy for me, aren't you Steve?" He asked with a shark-toothed grin on his face.

Steve let out a shaky breath and reluctantly nodded his head. Bruce's lips quirked and his hand flashed out, slapping Steve's face, though not too hard.

Steve gasped and looked up at Bruce with round eyes, mouth open wide in disbelief. "You-" he began, cut off when Bruce gripped his jaw tightly in his hand, leaning close to Steve's face. 

"Use your words, honey. Be a good boy for Sir," he whispered.

Tony's eyebrows rose high in surprise and he was pretty sure now that Bruce definitely had practice at this.

"Y-yes, Sir!" Steve slurred out, his lips mashed together by Bruce's strong fingers still. 

"Yes, what?" Bruce pressed.

"Yes, I'll be a good boy!" Steve whimpered, feeling his own helplessness clearly now. 

Bruce smiled and leaned close to Steve's ear. "This is domination," he whispered, flicking the tip of his tongue against Steve's salty skin. Tony watched Steve shiver and wondered if the brunette wasn't taking it too far. 

"There's pain kinks, or impact play," Bruce announced as he sat back up, scratching a trail down Steve's chest that drew a hiss of pain from his lips. "Those are always fun." He reached up and lightly slapped Steve's face again, three times in rapid succession. "There's humiliation kinks, too."

Tony wondered how Bruce would demonstrate that. 

He watched Bruce gently rest his hand against Steve's throat, ever so slightly putting pressure against his veins. 

"Are you ready to make Sir feel good?" Bruce asked softly. "Like a good little cock-sleeve?"

Steve blushed furiously, lowering his gaze so he didn't have to look at Bruce or Tony and he didn't respond. Bruce slapped his face again, harder this time than before. 

"You need to answer Sir when he asks you a question."

Tony shifted slightly in his seat on the coffee table, trying to adjust himself without being noticed. He couldn't deny how hot this whole thing was, right there and then, at that moment. 

"Yes, S-sir!" Steve cried, sounding on the verge of tears. 

Bruce quickly knelt up and ripped open the fastenings on Steve's pants, tugging them down slightly. 

"Tony, pull his shoes off," Bruce commanded, taking control of the other man in the room now. Tony found himself complying with hardly a second thought. He quickly untied, then pulled off Steve's shoes, then peeled off his socks as well.

"Pull his pants off," Bruce commanded, kneeling up so that Tony could comply. Once the blonde was down to his boxer briefs, Tony and Bruce could clearly see the tent that was growing between his legs. 

"We're going to have some fun," Bruce announced with a little chuckle. He tilted his hips forward and began rubbing the hard bar of his erection against Steve's abs, through his own pants with a groan. 

"I-I don't think I like this," Steve whispered out shakily, looking away from where Bruce was rubbing against him.

"James doesn't like it either, and you're getting it easy," Bruce reminded in a growl as he leaned forward to lick at Steve's throat. 

Suddenly, Bruce stood, reaching into his own pants and squeezing at his erection, before reaching to remove the last thread of Steve's clothing, leaving him completely bare on Tony's couch. 

The blonde let out a gasp and buried his face in his arm, mortified at being bare in front of the two other men. 

Tony couldn't help but tilt his head as he took in the sight that was Steve Rogers' cock, half-hard and resting against his hip. It was flushed pink and long and pretty and Tony suddenly couldn't wait to see what Bruce would do with it. 

"This," Bruce began, reaching for the loose end of the nylon rope, pulling it and winding it around Steve's torso firmly. "Is a power imbalance." 

He began to wrap Steve's ankles, pulling the rope in such a way that Steve's feet were pulled in tight to his body, spreading him open and exposing him completely. When the blonde tried to pull his arms down from above his head, the rope grew taut and pulled his feet closer to his body, spreading him more.

Steve let out a pathetic whine and did his best to bury his face in his arm again, but his cock twitched against his hip, giving away his pleasure. His blush was candy apple red, and it spread down his chest and spilled across his shoulders.

"This is what you should be like. Confident," Bruce told Steve again in a hushed voice as he straddled the couch just below him. He let his hands grab onto Steve's meaty, round ass and squeeze, and Steve shivered beneath him. He turned his watery blue eyes on the brunette, but he didn't respond.

"Bruce," Tony began quietly, moving to sit back down on the coffee table beside the two men on the couch. "This might be kinda far. He's never done anything like this."

Bruce looked up at Tony as he listened, then glanced back down at the blonde beneath him.

"Is this too far?" He asked responsibly, though a touch annoyed as well.

Steve shuddered again and thought about the question, a tiny tear sliding slowly down his cheek. Finally, he turned back to Bruce and shook his head.

"But…," he whispered, sounding completely submissive now. "Can you slow down if I need?"

Bruce's shark-like grin was back and a low chuckle rumbled out of his chest.

"Of course," he practically purred.

"I-I…don't really like…the name-calling," Steve admitted in a hush, embarrassed.

"Alright. I can fix that. How about a praise kink? Instead of degradation?" Bruce suggested in a question.

"Praise kink?" Steve echoed, turning toward Bruce just a bit.

"Yes. Kinks aren't always negative, or dark or intense. Sometimes they're nice too. Do you want to keep going?"

Steve took a deep inhale and glanced over at Tony from the corner of his eye, slowly losing his sense of embarrassment at being naked in front of them both. He nodded his head.

"I can keep going."

"Such a good boy for Sir," Bruce cooed, unbuttoning his pants and sliding the zipper down. "Do you want a treat?"

Steve nodded slowly and turned more onto his back, laying more comfortably on the couch.

"I can't hear you, Blondie," Bruce said, a touch of warning in his voice.

Tony marveled at the way Bruce's soft voice sounded so commanding when he used it like this. He was shocked to find how easily the man slipped into this role, effortlessly commanding both himself and Steve. The quiet warning tone just aided in his image of control, rather than undermining it. Tony had been with Bruce a few times during a few drunken nights and Bruce had always taken control, but never like this.

"Yes please, Sir. I do-I do want a treat." Steve's voice was shaky and timid and unlike Tony had ever heard it before. He never dreamed he'd hear Steve submit so willingly.

" _Such_ a good boy, Steven. Tony, do you have any lube out here?"

Steve gulped at the mention of lube but remained patient, squirming in his bonds.

"Coconut oil?" Tony suggested, knowing he'd used the last of the bottle he'd had on the first time he'd made love to James.

"Get it, please," Bruce softly commanded, turning his attention fully on Steve's spread legs.

"You have such a pretty cock," Bruce stated almost absently, running a fingertip down his length. Steve gasped and jerked, struggling to remain still.

"Have you done anything like this before?"

Steve shook his head vigorously in the negative and swallowed hard again. "No, Sir."

"Nobody's touched you down here?" Bruce asked as he slid the fingertip down across Steve's sac and into the crease of his ass, finally coming to a rest pressed against his pink entrance.

Steve sucked in a huge surprised breath and trapped it in his chest, not letting it back out. Little whimpers fell from his lips.

"Here," Tony handed a short, round jar of solidified coconut oil to Bruce with the lid off.

"Thank you," Bruce smiled at Tony and then began to rub his fingers in the solid oil, melting it with his body heat until it coated his fingers.

He slowly reached down and began to pet across Steve's muscle, stroking it softly and spreading slick across it. A whining squeak tore from Steve's chest and he squeezed his eyes shut, trying to control his erratic breathing.

Soon, Bruce was putting more pressure behind his fingers, pushing almost enough to breach Steve, massaging his tightly closed rim.

Tony couldn't help the smile that sat on his lips as he watched, gently and absently stroking himself through his jeans.

Bruce reached with his free hand toward the forgotten candle, the top now a melted puddle, and lifted it over top of Steve's stomach as he still pressed against his hole.

"Deep breath," Bruce coached, preparing to enter Steve. "Good boy." He swiftly pressed in to the first knuckle, knocking a grunt from Steve. He sucked in a deep lungful and his body tensed.

"Relax, breathe." Bruce slowly tipped the candle, aiming to spill the hot wax across Steve's chest and succeeding.

Steve let out a yelp, arms jerking instinctively, causing his legs to spread wider.

Steve moaned and his cock jerked again, standing up straighter now.

"Did you like that, my good boy?" Bruce asked gently.

Steve moaned and let out a few more heavy breaths, his forehead perspiring, and he nodded. 

"Yes, sir," He whispered, his eyes drooping closed.

"Good," Bruce replied, spilling more wax down Steve's stomach and pressing his finger in deeper as he did. 

He began a fast rhythm, pumping one finger in and out a few times before swiftly adding the next.

"Ooh!" Steve grunted, squirming again, though this time trying not to flinch.

Bruce set the candle back on the table, then swiftly leaned forward and climbed over top of Steve, pressing against him and mouthing at his throat. He kept up his fast pace with his fingers and began trying to work a third finger inside of the man.

"Oh, that burns, Sir!" Steve yelped, shyly ducking away.

"Oh!" Bruce sighed sympathetically, quickly capturing Steve's lips in a consuming kiss as he gently worked in his third finger, massaging at the tight rim of his muscle to help it open.

" _Ooooh!_ " Steve whined, beginning to press his hips back against Bruce's hand.

Bruce turned with a grin toward Tony, showing his pride before turning back to Steve. He began grinding his hips against Steve's naked ones, pulling another whine from the man.

"Are you almost ready for Sir's cock, Steven?" Bruce asked into his neck, all hot breath.

Tony's own cock began to drool precome at that question and he undid his own fly, reaching his hand inside.

"Yes!" Steve cried, nodding his head swiftly. 'Yes, 'm ready! I'm ready!"

Bruce laughed again and lay his whole weight on top of Steve, reaching down and pulling himself free of his pants and underwear. He then leaned up a bit and pressed the head of his cock against Steve's softened rim. He stayed so close to Steve's body as he entered it that neither Tony nor Steve saw the man's cock before it was buried.

Bruce let out a deep groan of pleasure and Steve cried out at the sudden full feeling. The blonde's hands clenched and unclenched as he tried to adjust to the burning sensation, his breath caught in his chest once again.

" _Breathe_ ," Bruce coached, even as he began to move his hips back and forth, steadily increasing in speed.

"Oh, oh!" Steve cried, and Tony saw that his whole torso was almost completely red now, his cock standing tall and proud and glistening as it leaked.

Bruce was fucking Steve deep and with a purpose only moments later, and Steve couldn't stop himself from squealing at the painful pleasure that he'd never received before.

"Lucky for you, I'm a doctor," Bruce breathed into Steve's ear hotly. "Because I know that your prostate is right… _here_." He aimed and thrust hard, releasing a shriek from the younger man's lips and a gush of pleasure from the tip of his cock.

Tony felt intoxicated by the sight before him and he shamelessly stroked himself inside of his jeans, bringing himself to orgasm quickly. The smell of sex was pungent in the air and it made his mouth water.

None of them lasted much longer, Steve being the first to come. He came with a rattling wail across his stomach and chest, and Bruce covered his mouth to try to keep him quiet. He then finished himself inside of Steve's hot walls, fucking hard and deep, slapping skin echoing in the darkening, quiet room. Steve yelped in overstimulation as Bruce finally spilled inside of him, pressing his seed in deep before collapsing on top of the man.***

Tony followed in a low, bitten off groan, spilling into his pants over his hand and the three of them fell silent, panting loudly in the silent room.

Tony was the first to break the silence. 

"That's called breeding," he rumbled in a gravelly voice with a chuckle, and Bruce joined him laughing quietly. Steve let out a little whimper and turned his head to the side again with a blush. 

"Please," Steve whispered, beginning to grow uncomfortable and pained. "Please untie me?" He begged Bruce quietly.

"Oh, of course," Bruce agreed, getting back up to his hands and knees. He reached down and gripped the base of his cock, slowly sliding it from Steve's entrance, and the blonde squirmed and whined at the feeling. "You were such a good boy, Steve. You were so good for Sir."

Steve blushed brighter red, but Tony could see his lips curl into a smile still. Bruce tapped Steve's stretched rim a few times with the head of his cock and Steve glanced down to get a good look at it before he put it away. 

"Jesus Christ, that thing was inside me?!" Steve suddenly exclaimed, shocked. Bruce chuckled and looked down at his own softening dick. Tony moved to get a good look at it too. They'd been together before, sure, but he'd been just as secretive about his own parts then as he'd been tonight.

It was huge, longer than both Steve and Tony, and _the girth._

"Good Lord, that's fat," Tony breathed, unable to tear his eyes away. 

Bruce chuckled slightly as he quickly tucked himself back into his pants and shook his head.

"Can you see why I didn't show you before?" He asked in his quiet voice. 

"No way I would have let you put that inside of me if I'd known-" Steve began, still squirming and naked in his bonds. 

"I know," Bruce stated, beginning to undo the knots around Steve's ankles. "But I made you feel good, didn't I?" 

Steve pulled his bottom lip between his teeth and smiled a bit with a nod. 

"Did you like being kinky?" Tony asked from the side table. 

"I…liked the praise," he admitted. "Being tied up was okay, but I prefer to touch my partners. I…kinda liked you watching," he said to Tony with a shy smile.

Bruce finally finished unwinding his legs and Steve was able to stretch them out again. Bruce dutifully began to massage his joints and all the places the rope had been biting into his skin. 

"What about being submissive?" Bruce asked as he peered up at the naked man, watching his own come drip from between his legs with delight. 

Steve went quiet and bright red, turning away from both of the men and not responding.

"I can't hear you," Bruce smiled in that quiet warning way of his. 

"I-I liked it, Sir," Steve quickly answered. Bruce's smile grew wider as he began to unwrap Steve's torso. "Can you…please do it again, soon?" Steve asked nervously.

Bruce and Tony both stopped what they were doing and shared a knowing look, smiling at one another, before Bruce turned back toward Steve. 

"As you wish. Let's get these ropes off you so I can give you a little aftercare," Bruce announced happily, unable to contain his own smug grin. 

Tony stood quietly and headed for the bathroom to change into a pair of sweats he'd left on the floor that morning, quickly cleaning himself up as he changed. He grabbed a washcloth and got it wet with hot water, then grabbed a bottle of lotion and headed back to the living room.

"Here," he said simply, handing the washcloth to Bruce as he set the bottle of lotion down on the table. The brunette had finished unbinding the blonde and was helping him ease his arms and shoulders back into place, massaging him vigorously.

"Hey, thanks Tony," he said distractedly as he took the cloth and began to clean Steve's skin lovingly. Tony then headed for the kitchen to retrieve each of them a glass of water. 

"So, do you feel like you learned anything?" Tony called as he filled the glasses. 

"Yeah, I actually have a much better idea of how to act," Steve admitted as Bruce helped him sit up and began rubbing lotion into the skin of his shoulders. Tony heard Bruce chuckle quietly and he smiled. 

When he came back into the living room, Steve had already pulled back on his underwear and slacks and Bruce was gently helping Steve remove the cooled wax from his upper half. Each time Steve hissed, Bruce placed a loud wet kiss against his skin, and Tony almost felt like he was intruding at that point. 

Bruce nuzzled his face into the crook of Steve's neck as he worked, whispering gently to the man, and Tony wasn't entirely sure what he was feeling as he heard bits and pieces of it. 

"…so good…such a good boy…you were in my house…make you feel so good…" Bruce whispered absently, and Tony watched as Steve's eyes fluttered shut, leaning against the man giving him care.

Bruce was definitely good at this. Too bad Bruce wasn't the one fooling Clint.

"Are you going to be able to do this?" Tony asked quietly, breaking the silence and the murmured praises.

"Mmhmm. I'll be fine, I won't back out," Steve assured, opening his eyes partially while Bruce continued to kiss and lick at his neck.

"Do you guys…like, wanna stay the night, cause…" Tony trailed off, beginning to feel awkward. "You're pretty cozy…"

Bruce chuckled as he pulled away and shook his head. "I should get going. I have another early day tomorrow."

"Mm. I have to work in the morning too," Steve added, taking a deep breath and stretching out as he grabbed for his shirt to put it back on.

Steve stood and walked to the kitchen, gathering his phones, keys, and his jacket. Bruce smiled at Tony  
from the couch still. "Thanks," he murmured quietly with a grin on his face. Tony huffed a laugh and stood. "Any time, I guess," he chuckled.

He walked the two men out and watched through the door as they both began to cross to their own respective vehicles. He saw Steve pause and catch Bruce's attention sheepishly, and Bruce grinned at him with a nod. Tony turned from the door with a chuckle, scrubbing his hands over his face with a sigh. He'd definitely just opened a door for Steve.

The next day, Tony texted both Bruce and Steve a few times throughout the day, but neither of them planned to come over. It was just as well, it was Tony's last day with James before he had to go back, and Tony wanted to soak up every second.

He knew that, if all went well, it wouldn't be his last day with James forever, but he still worried that something might go wrong. However small, there was a chance that he wouldn't be seeing James again.

Tony took James back to the same creek that he'd brought him to, what seemed like weeks before. He let the man splash his feet in the cool water, and they even had lunch on the rocks by the small waterfall. James smiled almost as bright as the sun the whole day.

Tony even went so far as to let the man venture to the little market in town with him, allowing him to choose items of produce to take home with him. James stayed close and held Tony's hand tightly, but he never had a single issue, and Tony was glad.

When the evening had grown late, Tony's stomach had been churning for hours. Guilt, anxiety, and fear kept him on edge for the whole day and by evening, he was exhausted and sick, but James was in good spirits at least.

Tony made a big dinner for James and sat and watched him eat it with a bittersweet smile on his face.

In just about twelve hours, James would have a very different expression on his face, Tony just knew it and he dreaded the moment he'd have to see it. No matter how hard Tony wished, though, he couldn't make time stop or slow down.

He'd let James stay up later than usual, cuddling and eating popcorn on the couch as they watched James' new favorite movie, The Wizard of Oz.  
When it was finally time to put him to bed, Tony had carried James, helping him dress for bed slowly, kissing each part of him gently as he did. He'd climbed under the covers with James and they'd chatted about whatever crossed James' mind until he'd fallen asleep in Tony's arms. 

Tony didn't sleep that night. Instead, he'd watched James, running his fingers softly through his hair and memorizing the way he looked while he was asleep, watching his chest rise and fall as he breathed. 

The sun rose much too early for Tony's liking. 

James woke a few hours after the sun when the birds had begun to grow raucous in the trees. His eyes fluttered open and he smiled up at Tony.

"G'mornin', Tony," he chirped sweetly with a yawn.

"Good morning, star shine. How'd you sleep?" Tony asked, quietly wiping a tear from the corner of his eye.

"Good!" James peeped, scooting closer to Tony and wrapping his arms around the man, laying his head on his chest.

"That's good. You getting hungry yet?"

"Not yet, Daddy. Cuddles."

Tony smiled as his heart constricted in grief and he squeezed James close. 

The morning had gone by at an agonizing pace like they were walking through syrup while simultaneously being in fast forward. He'd bathed James, taking extra care with washing and combing his hair, then helped him dress in a nice pair of faded, light brown colored denim pants and a soft, long-sleeved red shirt. He looked great, healthier now, with fat on his face and body, standing up straight and tall. Most notably, he smiled now, and his teeth were clean and his gums were healthy. He gazed at Tony with his soft blue gaze and he didn't cower in fear. 

Tony turned to the door and cleared his throat, wiping another tear from his face with his back turned. "Come on, let's go make breakfast."

He'd let James make an omelet, helping him stir the eggs and pour them into a pan, assisting him with adding vegetables and cheese and meats to the middle. He'd stood behind him with his arms wrapped around the thinner man and guided his hands as he'd folded the omelet with a spatula and giggled, then they'd sat and Tony had watched him adoringly. 

After breakfast, Tony didn't know what to do with himself, pacing back and forth near James and watching the windows anxiously. He'd finally decided to gather the things that Clint had brought with him on that first night two weeks ago; a muzzle, a mask, his "food" bowls, and the bag of cat food. He packed everything up in the black backpack that he'd come with and he pulled the pieces of the cage from the closet which he'd stuffed them into, placing everything by the back door. James didn't seem to notice Tony or the items that he was moving, and Tony was glad. He still had time.

When Tony's phone pinged with a message, his heart sunk into his stomach and he immediately felt nauseous.

 _Hey, I'll be at your place in about twenty minutes. See you then!_ it read.

Tony felt his eyes well with tears instantly and his body began to shake with the force of holding in his emotions. James turned to Tony with a worried expression, reaching with a skinny hand to gently cup Tony's face.

"Okay, Daddy?" He asked, the picture of concern.

Tony broke. He began to nod his head but a sob tore through his chest and he collapsed against James' shoulder, pulling him tight. He cried silently into the man's shirt and did his best to pull himself back together.

"I'm okay," he lied in a whisper, rocking James where they sat on the couch. "I just…I want you to know that I love you very much. And I want you to know that…no matter what happens, I'll see you again, okay?"

James pulled back with a crooked smile on his face, resting his hands against Tony's chest.

"James know that. Tony not need be sad!"

Tony smiled and sniffled, wiping his nose with the back of his hand with a soft chuckle.

"Yeah…" he mumbled half-heartedly.

When the doorbell rang, Tony's heart sped painfully, hammering away against his ribcage and he squeezed James so tightly that he squeaked.

When Clint knocked a moment later, Tony forced himself to his feet to greet him.

"Hey! Good to see you!" The man grinned from ear to ear, leaning in the doorway to hug Tony. He stepped inside, oozing with arrogance and sleaze. 

He pulled off his sunglasses and looked around as Tony closed the door behind him.

"So, where is the little shit?" He asked meanly, and Tony felt his heart squeezing again.

"Uh, he's…I'll get him," he replied, unable to keep the sadness or defeat from his voice. Clint sat at the kitchen table with a huff and put his legs up on the chair beside him to wait.

Tony slowly crossed to the couch, already heartbroken at the way he knew James' face would fall. 

"Hey, sweetheart?" Tony said timidly, leaning down to kneel in front of James.

James made a little hum of acknowledgment and smiled at Tony pleasantly.

"Hey, bud, uh…Someone's here to…to take you home!" He tried to sound cheery as he took James' hands in his own shaking ones.

James' head tilted and his eyebrows turned quizzical, but his smile stayed on.

"Am home, Daddy," he replied softly, not yet understanding.

Suddenly, Clint began to whistle a tune from his seat in the living room. It wasn't loud, it was slow and melodic, and it struck a chord in James that turned to immediate terror.

His eyes grew huge and glassy with tears and his shoulders shot up to his ears, his whole body tensing. Tony watched his jaw muscle twitch as he clenched his teeth together, beginning to slide down from the couch and onto the floor. His body quaked with fear and he shook his head rigidly as he bored into Tony's sad gaze with his own pale eyes.

 _No,_ " he whispered. " _Please, no._

It was barely loud enough to hear and Tony's heart shattered into a million pieces as he tried to hold back his own grief.

James' spine bowed as he curled into himself, covering his head frantically with his arms as he tried to disappear into the floor. His hands futilely attempted to tug at the sleeves of his shirt in an effort to remove it.

Tony placed his shaking hand on James' back, rubbing it up and down comfortingly and he leaned close to where the whimpering man's ear was hidden beneath a veil of his hair.

"Hey," he began, whispering softly. "It's okay, baby. It's okay. I'll see you again, okay? I promise, I'll see you again soon," he murmured, scrubbing the tears from his face with the heels of his hands. "I promise, baby."

"Need some help over there?" Clint suddenly called, both of them jumping at the unexpected sound. James let out a tiny muffled squeak into the floor and Tony knew he was sobbing.

"No, he's okay, he's just…not ready to go yet," he said truthfully, attempting to keep his voice from shaking.

"Well, good thing he's not in charge," Clint replied calmly, and Tony could hear the careless smile in his voice.

Clint's boots thunked softly against the floor as his feet hit the ground again, and Tony could hear the man's slow footsteps coming closer.

Frantically, he tried to pull James' shoulders, urging him to sit up before Clint came near.

"He givin' you a hard time?" Clint asked as he stepped to the edge of the couch, taking in the two of them on the floor. Tony's wide eyes flashed to Clint's face just as he caught sight of James.

His head cocked to the side and an eyebrow raised, his jaw clenching and his lips pursing. He looked annoyed, a bit angry, and like, if he was alone with James, he'd probably have hit him by now.

Tony's hands involuntarily tightened on James' shoulders, and the other man was squirming backward and away from both of them.

"Bucky," Clint barked commandingly, though not loud.

James flinched so hard that it almost looked as if he'd been hit, but he didn't raise up from the floor.

"Sit up, shit head. Is that any kind of hello?" Clint asked, crossing his arms expectantly.

James immediately forced himself off his chest, pushing his arms up straight, but with his head hanging down still. He refused to lift his head and Tony could see him shaking.

"How about a nice pet? I've missed you, you know," Clint stated, kneeling down now.

Tony watched James jerk untrustingly onto his knees, pulling back slightly for just a second, before he quickly crawled forward, rubbing his head against Clint's arms and legs.

Clint smirked and reached a hand down, resting it gently on his shoulder and sliding it slowly down his back, while James continued to rub against him nervously.

Tony's gut roiled and he felt like he'd be sick any second, trying to sit placidly by while he watched.

Clint's hand continued to roam farther down, sliding down the seam of his pants, until they reached the middle of his ass, where he began pressing his fingertips. James began to whine softly but desperately, but he didn't stop his motions.

Tony couldn't believe how fast he'd reverted back to his animalistic ways with Clint in front of him. He watched Clint's face grow irritated again, most likely at the lack of access, and he wondered if he hadn't made things worse for the man in some way by keeping him dressed.

Clint's free hand suddenly lashed out, gripping James' face tightly and yanking it up to look him in the face. James let out a yelp that was nearly a screech and Tony gasped at the sudden movement, barely stopping himself from intervening.

"Hey there, rat. It's nice to see you."

James quivered, tears flowing freely down his cheeks.

"So you look…" Clint began, taking in James' features intently. "Different."

"He-he's-" Tony began before he could stop himself, his heart freezing when Clint moved his eyes to Tony's. "He's just…a little overwhelmed," he said quietly, swallowing thickly. "He just needs to get adjusted again."

Clint smirked and released James' face, rubbing his hands through his hair roughly as he laughed.

"He'll be fine. I'm going to start putting his stuff in the car. Why don't you say your goodbyes, boy?" Clint suggested, standing and looking around. "You got that, Tony?" he asked, sounding nonchalant.

"Uh, y-yeah, it's…everything's by the door."

"Thanks," Clint responded, heading toward the kitchen. "You know, I really do appreciate you doing this for me, Tony. I would have been screwed," he laughed.

"Yeah…" Tony trailed off, looking back at a traumatized James. He heard Clint exiting through the door with the backpack and reached to James once more, trying to comfort the man again.

James flinched away, his face grew angry and betrayed. "You…You not want James? You not…not _love_ James?" He whispered in a wavering voice, shaking his head in disbelief.

"No-James! I do! I do love you, but…Jay, I can't keep you. You're not mine," he tried to reason, knowing that he was falling short. 

"Clint _hurt_ James!" He uttered in a hushed tone, looking positively devastated.

"Oh God," Tony groaned, growing light-headed. " _Please_ James, try to understand," he pleaded. 

Tony and James both heard Clint step back into the house briefly to retrieve the pieces of the cage, and they both grew silent. James glared at Tony with hurt in his eyes until they were sure he was gone.

"I promise you, James, I _will_ see you again!" Tony pleaded, trying to remind them both. He wished he could tell James the truth. That he, Steve, and Bruce planned to rescue him as soon as possible, but they couldn't have him in on it. They couldn't risk anything derailing the plan.

"I'll see you again so soon, angel baby. I'll see you before you know it-"

Tony was cut off when Clint came back into the house, pushing the door closed behind him.

"You ready yet?" Clint called, and James immediately dropped to all fours again, slinking his way to the blonde man with his head hung low.

Tony quickly stood and followed a step behind, unable to keep the worried look from his face.

"Really, Tony," Clint said again as Tony approached. "I really appreciate this." He held up a bottle in one hand that Tony hadn't noticed at first and he felt a wave of sickness wash over him at the thought of Clint gifting him a bottle of wine in return for nurturing a broken person.

He reluctantly reached out and took the bottle, trying to make his brain come online enough to not seem suspicious.

"So…How was your trip?" He finally asked, trying to keep his gaze from lingering on James' sad form on the floor. He knelt obediently by Clint's feet like a…dog.

"Oh, it was great. I mean, work sucked, but that's life, right? But the beaches were hot and the casinos were full of gorgeous women and daddy had a blast," he grinned at Tony like they were the best of friends.

Tony smiled weakly and nodded, not sure how to respond.

"How was he for you anyway?" Clint questioned. "He seems to have been put on some weight," he mentioned nonchalantly.

"Oh, he was…" Tony floundered for a moment, unable to decide what to say. Finally, he just settled on the truth. "He was wonderful. He ate really well for me and he even learned how to use the bathroom."

He watched Clint's face closely, but aside from his eyes squinting almost imperceptibly, he didn't show what he was thinking.

"That's…nice," he finally responded, though he didn't sound necessarily happy to learn the news.

Tony decided to try guilt-tripping Clint just a little bit. Maybe he'd treat him a little better if he knew just what exactly he'd actually been putting James through.

"Yeah, actually, he was pretty sick. Did you know?" Tony asked, taking a moment of smugness for himself.

"You don't say?" Clint replied, shoving his hands in his pockets and adjusting his body language in such a way that he looked interested.

"Yep. His iron was pretty horrendously low. Made him really tired and lethargic. Also had a kidney infection, nothing too serious though."

"Oh, that's bad," Clint responded, making all the appropriate comments of a captivated audience. Tony could tell he wasn't really taking him seriously though.

"Yeah, he actually had scurvy. Pretty hard to get that nowadays." He saw Clint's jaw muscle twitch, though he couldn't tell if it was in annoyance or nervousness.

"Anyway…" Tony trailed off, catching James' eye and noting that the man looked horrified, as if he were silently pleading for Tony to stop talking. "I really enjoyed having him here. You can bring him back any time."

"Thanks," Clint smiled, reaching down to place his hand on James' head possessively. "We should get going. Got about a half-hour drive ahead of us."

"Of course. Take care, Clint." Tony knelt down beside James slowly but didn't move to touch him. "Goodbye, J-Bucky," he caught himself, unsure if Clint knew about James' real name or not. "Can I have a hug?" He asked timidly, ignoring Clint standing by tapping his foot gently.

James timidly peered at Tony from the corner of his eye, his hair already messy and splayed and stuck across his teary face. He nodded almost imperceptibly but remained statue-still for fear of punishment.

Tony leaned forward and wrapped his arms around James' shoulders tightly, holding him for an extra-long moment.

Clint cleared his throat, then gently called, "C'mon Buck. Let's go."

James' breath hitched, and he whispered in a panicky voice, "I love you! I love you!" before Clint pulled him away with a firm grip on his hair.

Tony watched James leave, whimpering as he was half-dragged by Clint to his car, and his heart stopped. He sat on the floor in his kitchen and sobbed.

He didn't know how long he sobbed, just that when he woke up from his stupor, Steve was pulling him off the floor and pulling him into a tight embrace. The sunlight outside had started to grow long and golden and the shadows were growing deeper. Somewhere distantly in his mind, he realized that he'd left the door open all afternoon, weeping before it, and that must have been how Steve had gotten in.

All he could hear was the sound of his own sobbing, Steve murmuring something reassuring that he couldn't hear and the sound of his own sadness. 

At some point, Bruce had gotten there because Tony could feel him running his hands soothingly up and down his sides, while Steve still held him. He simultaneously felt _so_ loved, and so broken. He couldn't imagine what James was going through right now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So?  
> How are we doing?  
> Sad?  
> I sure am.
> 
> Leave your thoughts! Did you hate the Steve and Bruce sex scene/Steven's sexual awakening?  
> Are you surprised that I could see Bruce having a seriously huge pork sword? Or that I could totally see him as being a dominating little bastard secretly?
> 
> What about Clint? How pissed are you?
> 
> Please, do tell!
> 
> Also, I'm pretty sure the next chapter will most likely be the last, and if it isn't there will only be one more after it. The next chapter will be from James/Clint's POV, so be aware that there will be a lot of graphic physical, sexual, emotional and mental torture, and it will be written in graphic detail because, hey, it's me.
> 
> Until next time!


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> James could hear the sound of his button snapping open and his zipper coming down swiftly.
> 
> He let himself sob, knowing full well what would happen next.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry this has taken so long. It's actually been done for at least a month, but because this chapter is so long I've had to break it into four parts. I'm working on the third part now but I've decided that it's been enough waiting. I hope you enjoy this part, but know that there is a lot more coming before this is over. Now, on to the story!
> 
> BEWARE! DEAD DOVE DO NOT EAT! BE PREPARED FOR BRUTAL DEPICTIONS OF TORTURE IN GRAPHIC DETAIL! If you read past this and don't like what you see, please don't be mad at me! You've had fair warning!

James quivered and trembled in the passenger seat of Clint's beat-up silver sedan, pressed against the cool window. Tears flowed freely down his face, streaming so hard that the collar of his shirt was wet. His vision blurred with the sadness that spilled from his eyes.

His knees were pulled in close to his body and he hiccuped quietly in his chest, doing his best to stay as quiet as possible for fear of upsetting the volatile man beside him.

Clint had shoved and dragged at James impatiently to get him into the seat, and James had caught a last glimpse of Tony as he was forced to acquiesce with the man's wishes.

He'd stayed on his knees in the kitchen and his face had dropped into his hands. James knew that he was crying too, and he felt selfish, but it made him feel a little bit better about the situation. He'd yelped as Clint had forced him to his feet with a firm hold on his hair, but he didn't have much time to protest before he was shoved on his ass and buckled in.

Now, they were on their way back. James didn't dare think the word home.

Home was with Tony, and Tony had decided he didn't want him after all.

James couldn't understand what he'd done that had made Tony want to send him back. He'd thought that Tony was happy with him. He'd thought that he was learning fast enough and getting healthy. He'd thought that Tony's friends liked him too.

He couldn't understand how he'd been so horribly mistaken.

James was pulled from his thoughts when he felt Clint's big hand squeeze at his inner thigh, pulling him across the slippery leather seat with ease. James had gasped and whimpered before he could stop himself, but he didn't think Clint noticed. If he did, he didn't respond.

"Hey, little rat. What are you thinking about?"

James' chest heaved with a hiccuping breath, but he knew better than to respond.

Clint didn't care if he responded anyway. His hand swiftly traveled up James' inner thigh and squeezed at his flaccid dick through his soft pants. James' muscles tensed and he began to whine softly, but he didn't dare try to pull away.

"I'm so excited to play with you, kitten," Clint smiled, though it was anything but warm. "Did you miss Daddy?"

James forced himself to turn his head in Clint's direction, keeping his eyes focused on the shiny metal clip of his seatbelt, rather than on his face. He jerked his head quickly in a way he hoped Clint would accept as an answer.

"Seems like Uncle Tony spoiled you a bit, pet. You're looking a little fatter. And much cleaner," Clint remarked, looking over James again. "I suppose that last part isn't such a bad thing." His hand still rested firmly cupped around James' cock. "You must not have been being used properly. I have to say, you're still nothing great to look at, but you're a little more tolerable now."

His fingers began to squeeze at James between his legs, rolling his testicles between his fingers.

James slowly spread his thighs a bit, knowing it would be better in the end if he just gave the man what he wanted. Clint made a sound that was a bit like a purr as he fondled James to his heart's content.

"We're almost home, kitty cat. Ready to have some fun with Daddy? I've been so pent up these last few weeks without you." Clint's grin grew bigger and James could see the way his teeth glinted in his mouth like a threatening predator.

When they pulled into the driveway a few moments later, Clint turned the keys in the ignition, cutting off the engine. James peered at Clint from the corner of his eye nervously. Clint looked gravely at James and the tense moment was charged. Both of the men knew what was going to happen next, and neither of them moved for a moment, gauging each other.

It happened in a split second, like a dam bursting free.

James clicked his seatbelt off, throwing it aside in the same moment he popped open the door handle and threw open the car door, running for the front door of the house as if his life depended on it. For all he knew, it did. 

Clint was right behind, expecting the move, cursing and shouting at the terrified man as he chased him down.

Clint's house was in a rural part of town, with no neighbors around for miles. They were far enough away from the main road, that it wouldn't matter what Clint threatened him with or how loud James screamed, no one would hear them.

James knew that, because of this, Clint didn't bother to lock the front door. That was just an advantage for him. He twisted the doorknob so hard that it physically hurt his hand when it reached its limit. He shoved it open so quickly that it nearly hit him as it sprung closed again and he heard Clint curse again when it collided with him.

His heart jackhammered in his chest and he barely dared breathe, knowing that just a second too long or one mistake would be his undoing.

He rushed through the big living room and headed for the safest spot he could think of; his cage.

Unfortunately, he'd forgotten that the cage was still disassembled and in the back of Clint's car, in the trunk.

He wailed as the realization hit him and he dared to glance behind him at the furious man that hunted him down. He was only feet away.

He couldn't stop the petrified little mewls that fell from his lips as he changed his trajectory, making up a new plan in the precious little seconds he had before Clint could get his claws in him.

He propelled himself to his right, pushing off with his legs as hard as he could, nearly toppling to the floor with his amount of exertion.

He felt Clint's fingers grasp at his shirt and he squealed, horrified, but he managed to keep himself going.

He fled down the hallway, knowing that Clint was still following closely, and attempted to find a hiding place in the man's own bedroom.

He dove down beside the tall bed, scurrying into the small space between the frame of the bed and the wall, but as soon as he made the decision, he knew it was the wrong one.

He wasn't so tiny anymore, and neither the wooden bed frame or the wall was forgiving. He managed to get his shoulders into the small space, but he wasn't able to scurry fast enough before Clint seized his hips, fingernails digging into his skin as he ripped him back into the open. James screamed in horror.

"Little motherfucker, I knew you were going to try some shit!" Clint exclaimed as he climbed on top of James and pinned him to the floor with his own body. 

James and Clint struggled for a moment on the floor in the dim room. Grunting and yelping were the only sounds they heard in the shadows.

Once Clint had James on his back beneath him, he pinned his tiny wrists above his head and let loose a barrage of slaps across his face, James shrieking in both terror and pain.

"Stupid little fuck! When are you going to learn?" Clint screamed in James' face as he continued to slap and punch his face and chest until James stopped fighting entirely. He lay limp on the floor, sobbing and yelping, praying that Clint would stop soon.

Clint was right. He should have learned by now. He'd earned this punishment.

When Clint began to slow, panting above James angrily, he realized that James had stopped fighting and quickly released his wrists, knowing he wouldn't try to fight back again. James was never hard to break. 

He reached down and ripped open the button on James' buttery brown pants, ripping the zipper apart and splitting the pants down the seam, tearing them painfully from James' waist.

"You know I don't like it when you wear clothes, don't you?" He demanded, still forcing the man's clothing from his body harshly. "Little slut, you should be ready for me, you know that. You shouldn't have let Tony dress you!" He shouted, finally baring James' most sensitive, private areas to the cold air. "You're nothing but a god damn animal!"

James wailed but didn't dare defy Clint, knowing it would just turn out worse in the end. 

Clint still lay heavily on top of him, pinning him to the floor, and he reached between them.

James could hear the sound of his button snapping open and his zipper coming down swiftly.

He let himself sob, knowing full well what would happen next.

Clint didn't bother to speak anymore, shoving James' legs to the side, pushing them up to his chest to move them out of his way, sliding himself close to James' body quickly. James could feel the hot skin of Clint's thighs against his ass and he squeezed his eyes shut tightly.

He was already hard, most likely from the adrenaline of the chase, and James felt the blunt, damp head of his cock forcing it's way between his ass cheeks, spearing him open quickly. No prep or lube.

James did his best to stifle his shriek as Clint viciously penetrated him on his cock, beginning his thrusts fast and hard. He fucked James as though he were a toy, no regard for his pleasure or needs.

Clint grasped James' wrists again tightly and held him down as he roughly forced himself on James, groaning his own sick pleasure loud in his ear. "Little slut," he growled, forcing himself deep. James could feel his muscles aching and burning at the sudden stretch, and he did his best not to squirm too much. It didn't matter now, Clint was already inside him, hot and pulsing, and James could do nothing to stop him anymore.

James allowed himself to weep, feeling his helplessness in every fiber of his body, and he tried to think of Tony. The way he'd asked before he'd touched. The way he'd worked to give James pleasure.

Clint was finished quickly, spilling hot inside of James with a perverted groan, before quickly pulling out again. He wiped his cock on James' inner thighs, spreading the sticky mess around.

He drew back onto his knees, shaking and panting as he got to his feet again, leaving James to lay carelessly, trembling on the floor.

"At least you're still tight," He mumbled as he swung his foot and kicked James in the hip brutally before he turned to walk away.

James had expected the move and bitten back his yelp as much as he could, staying on the floor right where Clint had left him.

He heard Clint stomp out of the room, grumbling under his breath as he moved down the hallway before he dared to move. He shakily gripped the shredded waistband of his pants, but he couldn't decide if he should pull them back up, the way he wanted to, or just strip naked the way he knew Clint wanted him to. He could feel Clint's seed leaking from his abused hole, burning as it oozed over fresh cuts in his skin, and he decided to remove the pants.

He fumbled to pull them off, through his shaking, his anxiety, his extreme devastation, his pain. It was hard to make his body cooperate, and he felt like he might be sick.

Once he'd finally managed to remove everything from his bottom half, his pants, underwear, shoes, socks, he used his soft, destroyed pants to attempt to clean the filth from his body.

Finally, he sat down on the floor of the dark bedroom, pulling his legs up to his chest and crying against his own knees. He felt like he'd never stop sobbing. He just couldn't believe that he was here again. 

He wasn't sure how much time had passed, but soon he began to grow hungry. He tried not to think of Tony's delicious meals and the way he'd helped him make his own breakfast just that morning and began to crawl silently from the bedroom, down the hall.

He still wore his red shirt, now mostly soaked in his own tears, but he couldn't remove the offending article without help, which he didn't dare ask for.

As stealthily as he could, he peered around the corner of the hallway into the living room, where he could see Clint relaxing on the couch with a glass bottle of something.

James didn't know what the drink was, he just knew his night would be even harder now because of it, and his stomach dropped.

His stomach growled again and his head drooped, knowing that his only options were starving and catching Clint's attention. He forced himself to crawl closer.

Once he was by the side of the couch, mere inches away, he swallowed and took a deep breath, forcing himself to rub against Clint's ankle.

Clint immediately kicked out at him, catching him across his brow with his heavy boot and splitting the skin there. James yipped in pain, but forced himself back, rubbing against him again with his cheek now.

"Needy little cunt," Clint grumbled under his breath. "What?" He demanded harshly.

James flinched at his sharp tone, but leaned up on his knees a bit, rubbing his tummy in hopes that Clint would understand.

Clint laughed.

"Like hell am I going to feed you, look how fat you got," Clint stated cruelly, not moving from his seat.

James felt his face contort in dismay and quickly schooled it back to neutral before he could be punished for it.

"Come here," Clint suddenly coaxed, motioning with his finger for James to move closer. James grudgingly did as he was told, cowering between Clint's spread feet.

"I see you took off your pants," Clint pointed out with a smirk. "Not your shirt though, huh?" He chuckled mirthlessly.

James' heart thumped in his chest and he quickly thrust his wrists out to Clint, hoping that asking for help was compliance in the man's eyes.

Clint sat up quickly, frightening James, and gripped at the red sleeves of the man's shirt, yanking so hard that James felt his wrist pop painfully. Clint didn't bother to be more gentle, ripping at the cloth harshly.

James' shoulders pulled painfully and he yipped and mewled pathetically as he struggled to hold still. 

Clint finally managed to pull the sleeves from James' arms but it still encircled his neck, and Clint used the shirt like a leash. He yanked him close, and James gasped as he was suddenly inches away from Clint's sour breath.

Clint smiled cruelly as he twisted the shirt, tightening it around James' throat.

Instinctively, James tried to pull away, gripping at Clint's wrists to stop him.

"Don't you fucking dare!" Clint exclaimed, slapping James' face once again. The brunette man let out a yelp and cradled his sore cheek in his hand, eyes full of tears.

"You spoiled little bastard! Don't put your filthy little hands on me!" Clint roared, twisting the shirt tighter, cutting off James' air supply.

James panicked and struggled to pull in a breath, nodding vigorously to show Clint that he understood, that he was sorry.

Clint stood from the couch, yanking James down to the floor by his throat, then stepped on the shirt to hold him in place. He gripped James' naked hips harshly, pulling his ass high into the air and he let another barrage of slaps land against the delicate flesh there.

James' throat rasped harshly as he tried to scream, but he was too tightly constricted.

When Clint stopped his attack, he didn't give James a moment of reprieve, instead thrusting two fingers inside of his sore hole and finger-fucking him harshly, laughing as he did. James could feel his head growing light, and his vision began to swim in black.

He came to again a moment later, drawing in a rattling breath. His vision still was draped in black, beginning to clear up slowly as oxygen made it's way back to his brain. He realized that, at some point, Clint had removed the noose from his throat. When his sense of touch kicked in again, it was with a sharp thrust of Clint's fingers. Still inside him

"You're such a dirty little slut. You love being touched so much you passed out. Just feels too good, huh?" He mocked, forcing a third finger inside.

James wailed, high and helpless, moving his legs apart to help lessen the pinch of Clint's fingers inside him. He heard the sounds of Clint dropping behind him again, his zipper sliding down once more and he turned his face down, grinding it into the carpet in shame.

When Clint forced himself inside again, it was much less painful than the first time. James had stretched a bit with all of the abuse, and he was still wet from Clint's spend. He clenched his jaw tightly to endure another assault.

Clint was no less rough the second time, forcing himself in so deep, James was sure his sac had entered him along with his shaft.

The man gripped his hips, impaling him so hard, it couldn't have been for his own pleasure. James screeched as his body was used, feeling completely lost, abandoned, and hopeless. Clint pulled out all the way, leaving James gaping in the cold air, before he thrust in again, so hard that James' body slid forward, face and knees burning against the carpet.

Clint repeated this a few times, before finally slowing to focus on his own pleasure, rather than James' pain. He ground in deep, groaning again as he chased another orgasm, and James was mortified to find himself growing hard between his legs this time around.

Clint leaned forward, still buried deep inside of James, and draped himself over his back, reaching forward to wrap a big hand around his throat tightly.

He pulled James up by his throat, forcing a dangerous arch in his spine as he fucked into the brunette. James felt like it was an eternity before the blonde finally came.

He'd pulled out at the last second, releasing his spend across James' lower back and he couldn't help the way he flinched as it splashed hot across his skin.

"If you're hungry, you can get daddy hard again and drink some daddy juice. How's that sound?" He asked breathlessly, and James knew it wasn't really a question.

When Clint finally decided he was satisfied, it was after multiple sessions of brutally fucking James' throat, making him gag and retch on his thick cock. He'd made James swallow three rounds of bitter seed, and now, he lay lazily on the couch, James between his legs with his soft cock against his tongue.

James whimpered quietly, but he was exhausted and humiliated and heartbroken. He didn't have the strength to fight back. He suckled gently on Clint's soft cock, knowing it would keep the man satisfied, while also helping to pacify himself.

As horrible as it was, it was a small source of comfort for him to have something to suck on. He thought of the little candies Steve had brought him when they'd first met and he sighed.

He heard Clint begin snoring softly above him and he relaxed his shoulders, daring to allow his eyes to close. He knew he'd need any rest he could possibly get because the sun was still up and his day wasn't nearly finished.

He delicately lay his head in Clint's lap, his lips still gently wrapped around his dick, and prayed he wouldn't wake soon. His whole body ached, throbbed and burned, and he was in no way ready for more yet.

Tony sat at his kitchen table staring blankly at the chair where James used to sit. His tears had run dry and his eyes felt swollen. He still hadn't slept, though it was nearing evening again. 

Bruce and Steve both stayed with Tony, coaxing him to drink water and begging him to eat something. Tony had barely said a word since James had been dragged from his home that morning.

Steve knelt beside Tony again, taking his hand gently in his own. "Hey, Tone. It's going to be okay. We're going to get him tomorrow and nothing's going to stop us. He'll be back with you by this time tomorrow, I promise."

Bruce quietly moved from where he stood heating soup at the stove and set a steaming bowl before Tony.

"C'mon, Tony. You have to eat and get some sleep. You're not going to be any good to James tomorrow if you don't have any energy," he pointed out soothingly. Tony just stared at the empty chair. 

Clint had woken up hungry and decided he was going to go out to bring back a pizza, rather than cooking. He'd smacked James' temple when he found him sleeping and James had yelped awake and quickly gone back to his duty. 

"No, get off my cock, you little slut," Clint had grumbled, shoving James harshly to the floor. He'd kicked him none too kindly out of his way and stood up, pacing toward his kitchen. 

"I'm going to get food," he announced from the other room, and James' stomach growled loud at just the word. "I'm not putting the cage together right now, so you're getting tied up."

James felt his stomach drop through the floor. 

"Let's go!" Clint shouted. "Get in here! Jesus fucking Christ!" 

James swallowed a sob and forced his muscles to work, creeping toward the kitchen. When he reached the cold tile room, Clint already had his leashes in his hand, and James was hyperventilating.

James begrudgingly moved into position under the wooden table and Clint gripped his wrist roughly, squeezing too hard. He quickly began to wind the long nylon ropes tightly around James' wrists, probably much tighter than necessary, and began to tie him to the legs of the table. 

Soon, James was spread wide and caught like a fly in a spider's web. His head hung shamefully down.

Clint hummed as he studied his work. James' hands were stretched and tied up above his head, his legs spread and tied apart. None of him touched the floor. 

"You're hard," Clint suddenly realized as he looked at the way James' swollen cock bobbed between his legs.

James felt shameful, but he couldn't deny it. He'd been hard since Clint had used him the second time, and he hadn't been able to will the feeling away. 

James didn't look up as Clint's heavy footsteps left the kitchen quickly. He listened as he retreated down the hall, to what sounded like his bedroom. 

He felt a tear slide down his face, but he didn't move. It didn't matter anyway. 

Suddenly, Clint was coming back, fast. James still didn't bother to take in what the blonde was doing. 

Clint's grimacing face appeared before him and James felt a shock of cold fear in his heart. 

"I'll make sure to take care of you while I'm gone," he announced, setting something long and plastic on the floor below James, between his legs. 

James whined loudly as he realized what Clint was planning. 

Clint called it a wand. It was long and white with a round, purple head, and when Clint flipped the switch, it began to vibrate. He adjusted the toy's position, resting the round head right at the base of James' cock, against his balls. 

James shrieked at the unexpected sensation, knowing that Clint had turned it as high as it would go. 

"There," Clint announced as he patted James' face harshly. "Doesn't that feel good on your little clitty? Enjoy that while I'm gone." He stood and left the house, and James wept in painful pleasure. 

The toy vibrated loudly and it sent strong sensations through James' cock. He tried to swivel his hips to move the toy but he was tied too tightly. He could feel himself growing to full hardness and quickly reaching a climax, but he tried his best to hold it off. He knew once he spilled, there would be nothing to stop the overstimulation of the toy beneath him until Clint finally came back. 

His face was red and sweating with the effort it took him to stop from cumming, but he just wasn't strong enough. He wailed as he shot hot fluids all over the floor. Clint had barely been gone five minutes, and already, James was sobbing from overstimulation.

The toy continued to vibrate against James cruelly, bringing him back to hardness again and working him back to the edge. 

James cried harder. 

When Clint returned with a box of hot pizza, James was unconscious in his bonds. Come coated the floor in front of him and at some point, he'd vomited down his front. Clint clicked his tongue in disdain at the sight and moved to the living room, not bothering to wake James to get him down or turn off the toy. 

When James woke, it was to a smell of food so intense that it hurt his jaw in his hunger. He whimpered, having finally gone numb to the strong vibrations on his most sensitive parts. His shoulders ached from the strain of supporting his body weight, and his hips throbbed from the stress of being stretched so wide. It seemed like there wasn't a part of him that didn't hurt, but most of all, his heart cried in devastation. 

He felt so abandoned. 

A small part of him just couldn't understand how Tony had shown him so much love and affection, showing him the way life could be, just to wake up back in this inferno of punishment covered in his own sick.

That small part of him held out hope that he'd wake up and it would all have been just a bad dream. Just a very, _very_ bad dream.

Now, here and in this moment, he could feel Clint's cold, abrasive fingers untying his bonds none too gently. His knees hit the hard floor and he uttered a long, low moan. His head felt light. 

Clint had turned off and moved the toy, setting it aside before he untied James. When he'd freed his arms, he'd let James slowly collapse to the floor beside his own bodily fluids. His pale eyes were open but he looked far away and vacant. 

"Quit your bitching," Clint muttered under his breath, before grabbing James' shoulder and shaking the man. "Hey," he commanded, drawing James' attention. "You need to clean up this mess. You're filthy."

James mewled and tried to push himself back up, but his shoulders were so stiff and sore that he didn't have any strength to get up. He shed a tear and hoped that Clint wouldn't want to punish him.

"There's a bucket full of water and a rag on the floor. Whenever you finish you can have the last piece of pizza."

James' ears pricked up at the promise of food and he willed himself to get up and do his chore. By the time he'd gathered enough strength to shakily push himself from the floor, Clint was gone and the water was nearly cold. 

James glanced around tiredly and saw that he was alone and quickly dunked the rag in the water, wiping his face and body as clean as he could. Finally, he began cleaning the floor on his hands and knees.

He worked diligently but quickly, focusing on the prize at the end of the torment. He got lost in thoughts of Bruce's pizzas on a night that seemed so long ago. They were big and hot and cheesy and James had been allowed to try a piece of each kind. His favorite had been the one with pineapple on top, much to Bruce's pleasure. 

Despite everything, James smiled to himself at the memory, finishing his task finally.

He quickly replaced the rag in the water and dunked his hands in to clean them, before hurriedly shaking them dry. His growling stomach gave him a fresh burst of energy and spurred him on to the living room, where evil itself waited for him. 

He timidly approached the couch and saw that Clint was laying down watching TV. He glanced at the coffee table and saw the promised piece of pizza inside of the greasy box and a few empty glass bottles like the one the blonde had had before. Clint's police scanner droned monotonously in the background.

James' tummy did a funny little flip, warring emotions of happiness and fear making him nauseous again. He took a deep breath and moved closer, noting that Clint wasn't asleep, but his eyes weren't really open either. 

James swallowed a whimper and moved into Clint's line of sight, eyes wide with hope. His lips nervously twitched into a smile and he hoped Clint would be proud of him for completing his task so well. 

Clint's eyes flicked to James' but it took him a moment to respond. 

"What?" He slurred softly, though his eyebrows were furrowed. 

James' smile fell and his heart stuttered, nervously deciding what to do. He cautiously glanced at the cold pizza on the table and then back at Clint, whimpering a few times quietly, hoping he'd understand.

"Mm," Clint groaned as he slowly pulled himself upright. "I did say you could have that, didn't I?" He grumbled drowsily. He reached to the box and grabbed the last slice, holding it above James' head tauntingly. 

James stared up at it, licking his lips as his mouth watered, and his hands clasped like a prayer. 

"That's it, sit pretty," Clint teased darkly, moving the food closer to James' lips only to pull it away again right when James could almost taste it. 

James felt his eyes fill with tears, but he knelt on his sore knees and stretched his spine as long as it could go to reach what he needed so desperately. 

Finally, Clint drew the pizza lower, adjusting the way he sat so that his legs were spread wide around James' tiny shoulders, and he placed the slice directly on the crotch of his jeans. He smirked at James as he watched his face.

James was nervous, but his hunger won out. He leaned forward, keeping his eyes glued to Clint and slowly, he went for the food. 

He carefully stuck his tongue out, knowing better than to use his hands, and lifted the pizza into his mouth, taking a fast bite and backing away. 

Clint made an appreciative sound in his throat but he didn't move. He smiled down at James, but it didn't look warm. 

James' heart jolted and he quickly leaned forward again for more. His face pressed into Clint's groin as he took a bigger bite and jolted away again, watching the blonde distrustfully. 

The pizza was cold and not very good but it quelled a fire in his stomach like nothing else. He chewed a huge mouthful of dough and cheese on the floor in front of Clint, his blue eyes big and round as he looked up through his lashes. The blue glow of the television in an otherwise dark room lit Clint's face in eerie ways. James decided; this was as good as it gets.

When he'd swallowed his mouthful he went back for more without waiting, trying to be quick and get away, but Clint had other plans. 

He gripped James' hair brutally tight at the back of his head and James loosed a terrified scream. Clint laughed as he shoved his face down in his lap, smearing it through grease and sauce, thrusting the food against him by raising his hips lewdly. 

James' awful shriek morphed into terrified sobs as he struggled to get away, but he still had hardly any strength and his body ached.

Clint jerked James' head back suddenly, picking up the pizza with his hand and slapping it against his face. He smeared it more until it began to fall apart, then he threw the destroyed mess to the side. 

"I knew you were eating table food at Tony's house," he growled in James' face, still holding him firmly. "You're not going back there again, Tony is a bad owner."

James felt his heart break just a little more at that news, but he didn't have time to dwell on it.

Clint shoved James away suddenly and he fell backward, hitting his head against the coffee table.

" _Your_ food," Clint yelled, not bothering to stand from the couch. "Is _there_ ," he pointed toward the kitchen. "In your bowl, like an animal, which is what you are. You better start following my rules again, mutt! Or you'll be more sorry than you can even imagine!"

James let out a pitiful wail as he hurried back to the kitchen, hoping Clint wouldn't follow. He huddled in the corner, pulling himself into as tight of a ball as he could manage and he wept. His stomach still cried for food, and he had absolutely no interest in the smelly, dry brown kibble that Clint had presented as his meal. 

Clint came in a moment later and leaned against the door, watching James. The brunette started at the sound of Clint's footsteps and gasped as his head shot up to look at him. His face was streaked in tears and snot and his hair was tangled and matted, sticking to his face.

"God, you're so ugly," Clint stated nonchalantly with his arms crossed over his chest. "All you ever do is fucking cry."

They stayed like this for a moment, Clint towering and judging, James sitting and trembling, before Clint finally spoke again. 

"I'm going to bed. Keep your horny little ass out of my bedroom and don't get into anything. I'll beat your ass and you know it."

With that, he turned and left James on the cold kitchen floor, huddled in the corner with nothing but a bucket of cold, dirty water, and half-full food and water bowls for the night. 

James glanced around and thanked his luck that Clint hadn't tied him to the table. He knew that James wouldn't try to run. Not after the day they'd had. 

James spotted the white and purple wand, discarded on the floor, and snuck to retrieve it, doing his best not to make a sound. He grabbed the plastic tool and slowly opened the cupboard beneath the sink. It was full of bottles of chemicals and things that James didn't recognize, and he stuffed the toy inside, burying it beneath a pile of various items. 

He breathed a sigh, though not of relief, and curled up near the fridge. Hot air blew out of the bottom every once in a while that served to keep him from freezing in his nakedness, and he prepared himself for a long, cold night.

Bruce had managed to convince Tony to drink some of the broth from the soup he'd made and then he and Steve had ushered the broken man to his bedroom. They'd helped him strip down to a t-shirt and his underwear and put him to bed early, knowing that he was exhausted. 

When they'd first lay him down, he'd fallen asleep quickly but had woken up shortly after in the middle of a nightmare. Steve had had to climb in bed with him and hold him tightly. 

When Tony woke up the next morning, he was sandwiched between the two bigger men, legs and arms entangled. He'd sighed and looked at the clock, knowing he still had torturous hours to wait before he'd be able to see James' poor, sweet, beautiful face again.

He'd stayed still and let the two men surrounding him sleep, knowing that, Steve especially, had a much bigger day than himself. 

When they'd all woken and gotten out of bed, it was quiet and tense, but Bruce and Steve did their best to be there for Tony regardless.

Bruce made a huge pan of scrambled eggs for the three of them, and they'd convinced Tony to eat half his plate. Steve was growing nervous as the morning wore on, too. It wasn't every day that he had to take someone like Clint down.

"I'm going to be Tyler," Steve announced suddenly into the quiet dining room.

Tony looked up at Steve but didn't bother to respond. 

"What, for Clint?" Bruce asked when Tony said nothing. 

"Yeah. Just in case. I'm really hoping Jay doesn't give me away, though. Hopefully, he'll understand to keep my real name to himself."

"We should have told him," Tony suddenly interrupted, breaking his silence for the first time that morning. 

Bruce and Steve both looked at him guiltily, knowing that the same thought had been rolling around in each of their minds, too. 

Tony nodded. "We should have. We should have trusted him to know what was going to happen to him. _I_ should have trusted him and I didn't, and now he's hurting and scared and possibly even worse and…it's my fault," Tony lamented, tears filling his cocoa-brown eyes. "This is my fault."

"No," Bruce interjected immediately. "It's not anyone's fault, except for Clint. He's the one that's done this to James." He continued when Tony dropped his gaze to the floor, not responding. "You were only involved in this by chance."

"Yeah, think about it Tony," Steve added on. "If he'd asked someone else to care for him? And they'd said _yes?_ You would have never even met poor James. But he'd still be going through this whether you knew about it or not."

"It had nothing to do with you. You should be proud of how much you've been able to do for him."

"Proud?" Tony scoffed, fixing Bruce with a hard stare. "He's in hell right now, and I didn't even have the good decency to tell him that he just needed to hold on. That I'd be back for him."

"You know we couldn't risk him spilling the beans, Tony," Steve reminded. "We didn't have another choice with all of this. If he told before we could get him out…there's no telling how bad Clint would hurt him. Then we'd have no way to get to him, he could be killed!"

Tony sighed, knowing Steve was telling the truth. "It was still wrong," Tony whispered.

James woke cold and sore on the kitchen floor. Clint must have still been sleeping, because James had been able to wake on his own, with no yelling or pain.

His bladder ached, full to its limits since Clint hadn't let him out the day before. He released a quiet whine as he forced his tender body up from the floor. 

He knew he shouldn't let himself into the back yard, where Clint forced him to go to the bathroom. The blonde would be angry at him for leaving the house, even if it was for a necessary reason. He also knew that he wouldn't be very happy with James if he used his bathroom like a… _person_.

But he had to go so badly, he could cry. 

He quickly made up his mind and decided to choose neither of those options, instead shakily standing and climbing silently onto the kitchen sink. 

He leaned forward and used his hand to aim the way Tony had taught him, and he released his bladder down the drain, hoping he'd be finished before Clint woke. 

He breathed a sigh of relief and quietly climbed back down when he was finished, turning on the faucet low to wash down the pungent smell. He glanced in the direction of Clint's bedroom down the hallway and knelt back down to the floor as fast as he could. 

He smiled to himself a bit, feeling as though he'd gotten away with his indiscretion, then decided to move to the living room. It wasn't much more comfortable, but it would feel better against his knobby knees to be on the carpet. 

"Buck!" He heard Clint call suddenly, spiking his heart rate immediately. The man was calling from his bedroom.

"Bucky!" He called again louder. James swallowed his fear and followed the call of his master. 

He nervously crept into Clint's bedroom, seeing the man still lying back in his bed. The soft, plush blankets were all warm colors; reds, and corals. His walls were painted a comforting soft yellow and the sun was able to filter through the windows just enough to see.

"C'mere," Clint coaxed, motioning James closer. James bowed his head and did as he was asked, coming to rest beside the bed.

"No, up here," Clint stated, sounding drowsy still.

James whined low in his chest, but slowly climbed up next to the blonde. He already knew what the man wanted, but his heart still dropped into his stomach when Clint gently patted his thigh, telling James to climb up.

"Come say good morning to daddy," Clint grinned. His mouth smiled and his face was soft. He was almost pretty in the early morning sun, but James didn't dare forget what that pretty face was hiding.

He slowly, begrudgingly did as he was told, mounting Clint's lap. He wiggled his hips back and forth, knowing what Clint wanted, and he planted his hands on the headboard to prepare himself.

"So eager," Clint rasped, his smile growing bigger. He reached around James, gripping his ass tightly and sliding his fingers toward his entrance.

James felt his muscles tense, but he took a deep breath to calm himself. He was still sore from Clint's brutal session the night before.

To James' surprise, Clint was gentle, working his way slowly inside with one finger, petting and massaging at James' walls. 

James felt a chill run down his spine as his dick began to respond to the gentle attention, growing hard steadily.

He felt his face flush and he closed his eyes, trying to focus on how it felt, rather than who was doing it.

Clint reached in deep, adding a second finger carefully. He then began to work James in a way that was almost loving, watching every nuance on James' face and following the clues he gave.

Soon, James was panting and mewling in Clint's lap, fully hard and leaking on the blonde's soft stomach. His hips rose and fell, meeting Clint's gentle thrusts and his head swam pleasantly.

"You ready, baby?" Clint asked, reaching below James' ass to free his own hard cock from his soft pajama pants.

James nodded eagerly, his eyes still closed as he let Clint take care of entering him. It felt… _good_ , but something about it made him so uneasy. Clint never treated him so nicely.

Clint slowly eased his way in, stroking James' side comfortingly when he tensed, then gave the man a moment to adjust when he bottomed out.

"Why don't you go ahead and take care of daddy for a minute?" Clint suggested softly.

James opened his eyes to see the man beneath him, then nodded and slowly began to ride Clint. He worked his hips back and forth, teasing his own sweet spot as he did, keeping Clint buried deep inside himself. He could feel heat pooling low in his stomach and he let out a soft moan.

"Oh yeah, baby? Daddy feel good?" Clint breathed, grinding his hips slowly against James.

James nodded his head without hesitation, leaning forward to begin rocking against the man beneath him.

"Good," Clint smiled, beginning to take more control of James' motions.

James began letting out broken moans of pleasure as his ass slapped against Clint's lap, genuinely enjoying Clint's kindness. His cock drooled steadily onto Clint's stomach as he got closer to a release.

"Oh! Oh!" James squeaked, unable to contain himself. He gripped the base of his cock tightly to stave off the impending orgasm, not sure if Clint wanted him to come yet or not.

"It's okay, Buck, you can come. Get your cummies baby," Clint encouraged, fucking into James just a bit harder.

James gave a little yelp and let go, coming after just a few more pumps. It was sore from the wand the night before, but it still felt so good. Clint smiled as he tightened his grip on James' waist, chasing his own ending, spreading his legs wide and grinding hard and deep into James.

James let out a few cries at the feeling of being over-used, but he patiently stayed still, feeling the man's cock swelling and preparing to release inside of him.

"That's it, baby, take daddy's load," Clint groaned, coating James' insides in hot fluids. James squeaked at the feeling but clenched his muscles around Clint to make it better for the man.

When Clint was finished, he sighed, falling back down onto the bed, but keeping his hands firmly at James' waist.

James and Clint panted together, and James dared to let himself smile, small and timid. Clint caught James' pleased look and smiled back, turning his head to the side.

"Was that good?" He asked pleasantly.

James blushed and ducked his head, smiling bigger as he nodded.

"Hmm," Clint hummed. "Daddy's not finished yet."

James' heart thumped nervously, but he nodded again, knowing that what Clint wanted, Clint got.

James shifted a bit uncomfortably as Clint's cock softened inside him, but Clint tightened his grip to hold him still.

"Almost, baby, just hold still," Clint cooed, pulling James down on top of him so their chests rested against each other.

James did his best to relax, though every piece of himself was screaming to get away by now. Something just didn't seem right.

"Almost there," Clint said again, a far-off look of concentration on his face.

Suddenly, James' eyes widened as he felt hot liquid begin spilling inside of himself. He gasped and began thrashing his body to get away, squealing miserably.

"No no!" Clint almost laughed, squeezing James tighter, pinning him in place. "You're not going anywhere."

"No!" James couldn't stop himself from shrieking. "No, daddy, no!" He cried, tears flowing down his face now.

"Oh, it's okay. Daddy just needed to use the restroom." He did laugh now, then his voice turned soft and dangerous.

"Dirty little toilet. That's what you are, Bucky."

James sobbed, feeling violated in every way as hot liquid sloshed inside of him and ran messily down his thighs, mixed with Clint's sticky come.

When Clint pulled his soft cock free it sent a gush of piss down James' thighs and James couldn't contain his violent trembling as he sobbed.

"Get off me," Clint growled, voice sharp now.

James scrambled off Clint's lap as fast as he could, landing on the floor with a thud. Clint's urine continued to flow from inside of him. The pungent smell was making him panic.

Clint sat up from the bed, turning his legs off the side to stand next to James. He stretched and yawned as if he hadn't just completely shattered James' sense of self-worth.

"I'm going to take a shower," he announced, removing urine-soaked towels from the bed where he'd been laying. James hadn't noticed them until then.

"You can wear that piss for a little while." He turned and strode toward the door, heading for the bathroom before he turned and said over his shoulder, "Let's not forget that animals go to the bathroom outside. I heard you this morning. You'll be bleaching the sink, too."

James wept as quietly as he could, sitting on Clint's bedroom floor in a puddle of the man's filth, losing his will to live.

When Clint returned clean and dressed a while later, James had already attempted to clean the mess from Clint's floor, using the bucket from the night before. He'd skipped trying to clean himself, not wanting to use the same cold gray water again.

He'd caught Clint's eyes with a pleading expression, his eyes big and sad, and he prayed the man would let him bathe.

"You have a client later," Clint announced suddenly, rubbing his damp hair with a towel. "So I suppose I should get you cleaned up for him."

James' heart leaped for joy, but he didn't dare show anything on his face. He was in no way excited to be abused again by the first of many mean strangers, but he couldn't wait to scrub the filth from his body. He followed as Clint lead him to the bathroom, eager to wash his skin.

"Get in," Clint demanded, reaching for the shower head that detached from the wall.

James climbed into the tub enthusiastically, slipping on the warm water from Clint's shower. Once he was inside, he prepared to feel the water against his skin, but to his dismay, Clint only turned one of the knobs.

He flipped on the showerhead, raining down a barrage of icy water on James.

James shrieked, trying to move away from the water, but Clint gripped him by his hair and hosed James like an animal.

The water was so cold that it burned, and James shivered uncontrollably, as he shrieked in pain and fear.

Clint barely managed to rinse all of James' body, moving the sprayer over each part of James before he flipped the water off.

James moaned a sound of protest, still able to feel dried come on his back from the night before. He could see chunks of sick that still were caught in his hair, and the man hadn't even touched him with soap. James wasn't even sure if all of the urine had been cleaned from his lower half, but Clint was done.

The blonde threw a damp towel at James and simply left, leaving James freezing in the cold tub.

James should have known better. Clint had never really given him a proper bath before. He'd just gotten comfortable with being clean while he'd been with Tony.

He fumbled with the towel, trembling hard as his teeth chattered until he finally had managed to wrap himself.

He slowly climbed from the tub onto the bathroom floor, using the towel to clean himself as best he could, before finally, he decided to head back to the kitchen.

The refrigerator would blow hot air and he wouldn't feel so much like he was dying.

When he reached the kitchen, he regretted his decision, seeing Clint standing and cooking a pan of eggs.

The smell made James' stomach clench uncomfortably, but he didn't even dream of thinking about the food Clint cooked.

He decided to chance entering the room anyway, heading directly and silently to his food dish. It was, thankfully, right beside the fridge, which happened to be running.

He curled up as much as he could in the warm air, drinking the feeling of heat as he mustered up the will to eat his dry, pungent kibble.

"You're gonna follow my rules again, rat," Clint stated quietly, flipping his eggs without even looking at James. "Your client is going to be here in a few hours. Better eat to make sure you have enough strength."

He didn't bother looking at James as he turned off the stove and poured some runny scrambled eggs onto a plate sloppily, sitting at the table to eat.

James' head drooped, but he knew what Clint said was true. He'd have to endure the foul food.

Slowly, he forced his face into the bowl and scooped a few pieces with his lips, doing his best not to let it touch his tongue. He couldn't hold out any longer though, the two small bites of pizza he'd managed the night before weren't going to cut it.

Clint watched James eat as he sat at the table, absently lighting a candle as he did. He moved the candle to the edge of the table and continued to eat silently.

After a while, James had managed a few mouthfuls, but the taste was making him sick. He leaned over and pursed his lips, draining most of his water bowl in a few gulps.

When he'd finished, Clint had cleared his throat, commanding James' attention.

"C'mere," Clint said again, and James felt his stomach roil nauseously. Clint pointed to the spot beneath the table where James was typically tied.

James let himself whine sadly, as he moved into position, waiting to be bound again.

To his surprise, Clint didn't move. When he chanced a glance up at the blonde, he just sat watching James with a curiously placid face.

James didn't understand what Clint was waiting for, but he wasn't about to ask either. He sat obediently, not moving and keeping his eyes fixed forward.

All of a sudden, James felt something warm, bordering on hot, hitting the top of his scalp and landing in his hair.

He let out a pained gasp and flinched away, feeling a few more drops of heat followed by a steady drizzle, rolling down his hair and onto his shoulder.

He yelped, turning to see what Clint was doing and saw the man tilting the candle above his head, pouring hot wax on him as he calmly ate his eggs.

"Hold still," he commanded calmly, almost bored, and James had no choice but to obey.

He let out another yelp as hot wax splashed down his spine, burning all the way down to the top of his ass crack. The wax continued to burn and pour over him and his muscles strained to be good for Clint.

Despite the morning they'd had, Clint hadn't actually hit or hurt him, and James wanted it to stay that way.

"Hmm," Clint hummed absently, finally setting the candle back on the table upright.

James whimpered and sobbed, feeling his skin protesting the abuse.

"Not bad, mutt," Clint finally relinquished, finishing his breakfast. "I'm going to be texting the address soon, so you need to get ready."

James wasn't sure what "getting ready" entailed this time, but historically, it was never very fun.

As it turned out, getting ready this time meant performing another degrading sex act for Clint. James wasn't sure why the blonde thought it necessary, but he wanted James to be emptied of come before he had clients. It always just made him sore and fatigued his muscles before being used.

He lead James, still covered in hardened wax, to the dark living room. In the middle of the floor was a big stuffed dog, and James' heart sank. He hated this punishment.

"Remember Angel?" Clint asked with a smirk, knowing damn well that James hadn't forgotten. He hung his head low in shame, whimpering pitifully.

It was humiliating.

"Fuck the dog, Bucky," Clint commanded softly, motioning for James to go ahead.

James whimpered louder and sank low to the ground. 

"Let's go. Time to breed some puppies," Clint taunted.

Another tear rolled down James' cheek, but he slowly knelt up to obey. After all, as humiliating as it was, it was better than being beaten, and who knew what his client would be like later that day. They were never particularly nice.

James whined quietly but approached the stuffed animal anyway.

It was a white stuffed dog with blue eyes. Her pink tongue lolled out happily from the side of her smiling mouth and James hated her. 

He resentfully positioned himself behind the old toy, placing himself behind her backside. 

"C'mon, make some puppies, Buck. Be a good boy. Breed that bitch."

James could feel his face growing hot and red and he felt hopeless. He was filthy, damp, cold, exhausted, sore, and violated, and he hadn't even been with Clint for a full day yet. 

He whined as he began to rub against the dog's soft, fake fur, trying to do as he was told. It was difficult to get hard during this punishment because he despised it so much, and he hated that Clint always watched.

He closed his eyes and began to rub the dog gently over his exposed, sensitive parts, feeling the way the fur teased at his skin. He pretended it was a soft lover and willed himself to get hard.

After a few moments of rubbing against Angel, James had grown hard enough to penetrate the stuffed animal.

Clint had cut a slit in her fur long ago and stuffed in a toy for James. He said it made it feel more realistic. James thought it made it more shameful and mortifying.

He guided his cock into the slit in the dog's fur and felt the silicone tube inside gripping at him. Subconsciously, he wondered if Tony felt like this inside, and a big part of him regretted never asking Tony to play that way.

_Tony._

God he missed Tony. It seemed like every fiber of his being ached to be held by Tony again, even though the man had betrayed him so horribly. 

He'd loved being intimate with him. He'd been so concerned with whether or not James experienced pleasure and if he wanted sex at all. He'd checked in so often that it was almost too much, and James allowed himself a little smile as he thought about the man.

"That's it, really fuck her. Stuff her full of pups," Clint coached from where he stood, reaching his hand into his own pants as he watched James struggle with his task. 

James began to thrust slowly into the toy, shutting off his mind to the reality of the situation. He focused on the sensations instead. 

His muscles ached with a familiar pain; overexertion and overuse. It was familiar but not welcome. 

He tried to relax his muscles as he felt an orgasm building in his stomach, thrusting his hips a bit faster to reach it, but already it was beginning to hurt.

He whimpered and slowed down, his eyes still tightly screwed shut.

"You should lean forward," Clint said, though it wasn't really a suggestion.

James flinched at the sound of his voice, having effectively forgotten he was there momentarily before he slowly did as he was told. 

He knew what Clint wanted. 

He wanted him on all fours, fucking this stuffed toy dog as if he were a dog too.

James' face burned, red-hot humiliation all over his features. His eyes welled with tears that spilled over as he shut his lids tightly again. 

His hands shook as they touched the ground and he mounted Angel. Slowly, he fought through the soreness and shame and gave Clint the show he wanted.

Clint chuckled as he stroked himself inside of his pants. 

"What a dirty little dog you are," Clint ridiculed. "Look at you. Just a horny little animal, aren't you?”

James' lips trembled as he tried to hold back sobs, trying to keep his mind focused on completing his punishment. 

Thankfully, he could feel his release building fairly quickly, and he took a deep breath to chase it, wanting this torture to be over. 

"That's it. Fuck her like the dog you are."

James cried and thought of Tony and finally, he came again, barely a dribble. 

"God, what a perverted mutt," Clint groaned, speeding his hand and coming shortly after. 

"Those are going to be some ugly puppies."

James stayed mounted over the toy dog's back, sobbing as he willed his screaming muscles to cease fire. He lay his head on its shoulders and breathed sorrow. 

"You should be empty by now. It's time to get ready," Clint announced, wiping his hands on his jeans as he caught his breath. "Your customer will be here soon."

James couldn't help but wonder what kind of torments Clint would put him through now. It didn't matter though. He didn't really care. 

He felt broken. Like nothing mattered anymore. 

He slowly pushed himself off the dog, his whole body trembling once again. He carefully pulled his oversensitive, sore cock from the silicone tube with a quiet yip, before he turned to lead Clint to his bedroom. His head hung low, and his crying ceased. He felt numb.

"He'll be here in about an hour. I'm going to send him the address as soon as I'm done with you," Clint announced as he followed James down the hallway.

When they reached the door, Clint pulled a key from his pocket, turning it in the knob to unlock it. He pushed the door open and waited for James to enter. Once they were both inside, Clint flipped on the light. 

James shuddered. 

It had only been two weeks, but it felt like he hadn't been inside his bedroom in months. 

The walls were painted red, black, and white in different patterns that made James dizzy and the light itself was dim. 

The bed was big, black and silky, with four tall wooden posts and a black wooden frame. The mattress itself rested above an enclosure that was walled in by black metal bars, not quite tall enough for a person to be able to sit up straight in. 

The walls were covered in hooks and rings with which James could be tied to, in different positions and poses. 

"Up on the bed," Clint commanded, snapping his fingers impatiently.

James couldn't tell if he was better off locked in the cage or tied up. He supposed it didn't matter anyway since he didn't have any control of the situation. 

He quickly climbed up the short velvety black staircase that lead up the side of the bed and obediently moved to the headboard, leaning against it. 

No use prolonging the inevitable, he knew he'd end up there anyway. 

Clint followed a moment later with a smile, pleased with how well James was behaving at that moment. 

Clint gathered a small pile of decorative pillows from the head of the bed and began stacking them on top of each other in two piles.

"Climb up," he instructed, pointing to the flat pillows. They rose about a foot in height from the bed. 

James didn't know what Clint was planning, as he'd never done this before, but he obeyed. He climbed up with one foot on each stack of pillows and squatted, holding his wrists by his ears to be tied to the bed frame.

"Such a good boy all of a sudden. Maybe I should let you breed Angel more often," Clint remarked absently as he began to wind a white nylon rope around James' feet and legs. He bound his knees in their bent position, attaching the rope to the wooden headboard to keep him from moving. 

James obediently watched Clint work, keeping his delicate wrists high. 

Clint wrapped the nylon around James' tiny waist, securing his midsection firmly to the bed as well. When he got to James' wrists, he jerked them painfully above his head, drawing a cry of pain from the brunette. 

Clint wrapped his wrists together, one over the other, and wrapped the rope around the headboard again, pulling it viciously tight. The rope constricted over his whole body, biting into his soft flesh. 

"Ow!" James squeaked out before he could stop himself. The wooden poles of the headboard were pressing angrily into his already sore body. 

Clint raised an eyebrow in warning at James, but he didn't mention the little slip-up. He quickly finished his task tying the man up and sat back to enjoy his work. 

"We're about halfway there. You're going to wear the mask today," Clint informed James. The brunette's blue eyes flashed full of fear and he began shaking his head as much as he could in his bonds. 

"Don't tell me no," Clint growled, slapping James' cheek hard. "You'll do as I say. But first, we have to start getting you stretched. _Hold still_ ," Clint sneered cruelly, moving to the side of the bed to reach for the side table drawer. 

James could hear him rooting around for something and he turned his gaze in the other direction. There was a small window in the wall and, though it was covered almost completely, James could see the sun shining brightly outside through a small crack. He ached to feel the sun on his skin again.

"Here we go. Let's try the monster today," Clint smiled gleefully as he moved back to James. 

James turned back to Clint and his stomach dropped onto the bed when he saw the toy he'd chosen. 

Clint held a large rubbery dildo in his hands, moving to place it beneath James, between the two stacks of pillows. It was long, nearly a foot in length, and it was purple. 

Clint called it the monster because, not only was it huge and thick, it was also shaped like an octopus tentacle, complete with little round suckers all down its length. 

The head of it was slightly pointed and it got fatter toward the base. James had never been able to get it very far inside himself, no matter how hard Clint had tried. It didn't feel very good, and it was just too much for him. 

"Please," he begged, voice soft and afraid. "Please not make Bucky do it, Daddy. Please, no?" His eyes begged Clint, fluttering his eyelashes and doing everything he could to implore the blonde. 

Clint's face twisted up furiously and he immediately began slapping James across his face over and over again. 

"Don't you ever try to tell me what to do," Clint roared, gripping James' throat tightly and squeezing. "You'll take the monster today and that's all there is to it, and you know what? I'm sick of you pretending to be a human. Dogs don't talk!" He nearly screamed in James' face, hurrying off the bed to grab more devices. 

James could feel the menacing tip of the dildo pressing against his sore hole, not quite breaching him, and he was thankful for the pillows beneath his feet, keeping him elevated. He could hear Clint gathering more objects, and he knew one of them was the mask he so desperately despised. 

"Here, you little fucker," Clint growled, leaping back onto the bed in front of James. He had a gag in his hands. It was flat and black on one side, with a peg on the other side that was a few inches long. It was made of soft leather and James knew its taste well. 

Clint shoved it roughly between James' lips, not caring whether or not it made him choke. The soft peg touched the back of James' throat, nearly making him sick as it rested against his tongue. Once Clint had fastened it around his head, James could hardly even whimper. 

"Little fucker," Clint growled again, slapping at James' sore, unprotected cock this time. "This is the punishment."

James cried, tears falling down his cheeks, but he listened carefully. 

"These pillows won't hold your weight forever. They'll begin to flatten and the more they do, the more your ass is going to gobble up that fat cock." His voice sounded menacing, with the timbre of an angry rattlesnake.

James felt his heart constrict. So that was it, Clint was going to make him impale himself on the hateful toy, and there was nothing James could do about it. 

"I'm going to give you a head start, then we're putting the mask on." Clint reached down and grabbed a pillow from the top of one of the stacks. He slowly began sliding it out from under James' foot, and once it was gone, the ropes holding James began to slide, dropping him slowly lower. Clint reached for the pillows on the other stack and did the same, and suddenly, James could feel immense pressure on his hole. The tip of the tentacle-cock breached James steadily and painfully and his eyes widened as he let out a muffled scream around the gag. 

Clint smiled as he watched James' face contort in agony, then he held up another piece of black cloth in front of his face. It was an eye covering. James sobbed as he realized that Clint was going to deprive him of everything.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, how bad did that hurt? 
> 
> Hopefully a decent amount. 
> 
> The next part is ready to go up, but I won't be posting until the third part is at least close to completion, so if I don't post for a while again, you'll know why. 
> 
> PLEASE leave me comments! I'd love to hear your input on the final pieces! Let me know if there's anything you have questions about or something you'd like addressed and I'll see what I can do! 
> 
> And remember, I'm no professional at anything, so I apologize if it doesn't always make sense or seem realistic. It's not, it's just a story. 
> 
> Thanks so much for taking the time to read! Until next time! 🤙


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "This is real," Tony breathed, scrubbing a hand over his face. "We're going to get him. He's coming home!" He almost smiled, and probably would have if he didn't know exactly how much danger James was in.

Steve glanced at himself in the mirror from Tony's bathroom. He'd gone home and changed before coming back. They were getting ready for the storm to happen. 

Steve had decided on a soft, long-sleeved black shirt that was tight across his chest and shoulders, and a pair of gray slacks. He'd pulled on a pair of worn old brown leather boots and carefully combed his hair. 

When he'd gotten back to Tony's place, Bruce and Tony both were waiting, pacing nervously as the time drew closer. 

Steve walked through the kitchen door with a pair of black aviator sunglasses on and Bruce had frozen, staring blatantly.

He'd slowly crossed the kitchen to where Steve stood and leaned in close. He whispered in Steve's ear, "can I touch?" so quietly that Tony almost didn't hear it.

Steve nodded his head nervously and pulled off his sunglasses, watching Bruce closely as the brunette slowly circled him. 

"You look good. Perfect for today," he murmured, taking a long gaze at the man's ass in his tight pants. 

"Not too much. It's just right," Tony agreed quietly, watching the two men doing their courting dance as nerves danced in his veins.

Bruce reached for a handful of Steve's ass, squeezing hard with a small smile on his lips. Tony watched Steve's eyes go wide and his cheeks pink, but he stood still.

Bruce gave him a light pat and moved back to a chair at the table. 

"Are you ready for this?" He asked Steve, still standing by the door. 

Steve cleared his throat before he finally moved, taking a few steps toward Tony's cupboard. "Do you mind?" He asked quietly, reaching for a bottle. 

Tony shrugged his shoulders, taking a seat as well.

Steve pulled down a glass tumbler and began filling it.

"I'm ready. I've got my guys on standby. As soon as I give the signal they'll be there."

"How will you give the signal?" Tony asked. "And where is _there_? Did he send the address yet?" 

"I'll have to contact them and wait for them to arrive. No address yet, but of course, I'll send it to them as soon as he sends it to me. They'll be as close as they can without tipping off Clint."

Bruce glanced at his watch. "It's almost three," he commented. 

"You'll have to wait for them? Aren't they ready?" Tony asked, growing more worried.

"They're ready," Steve assured. "I've briefed them on the basics and they know what to expect. I just can't have them sitting in Clint's driveway. As soon as he finds out about them, he'll want to hurt James. I'll be there to protect him, but I don't want to take any chances "

"That's a good point," Bruce conceded.

"So, as far as we know, there are no hiccups?" Tony asked.

"As far as we can tell at this point," Steve replied, setting his glass on the table by Tony. "But we really won't have a way of knowing until it happens."

The three men were silent for a moment. Tony reached for Steve's glass and took a gulp, nearly emptying it. Steve smiled, turning to grab the bottle.

"Easy with that," Bruce cautioned Steve in his soft voice. A bit of Tony wondered if he was missing a note of command in Bruce's voice that was aimed at the blonde. He didn't have time to wonder when their attention was drawn by a loud ping from the old phone that lay on the table.

"Oh shit," Tony breathed.

"This is it," Bruce said at nearly the same moment, both of their voices soft and serious.

Steve swallowed thickly and reached for the phone, his palms sweating. He flipped it open and clicked on the message.

"It's an address," Steve breathed, finally feeling the full weight of the situation as it hit him like a wall.

"It's his! It's him! Send it!" Tony rushed, unable to sit any more as he rose to his feet. "Send it to them!"

"It's okay, Tony, I'm sending it," Steve responded softly, though a bead of sweat glistened on his top lip. He quickly typed the information into his personal phone and sent it to a number of contacts.

"They'll look to see where the closest, safest place to wait is and be ready before I get there," Steve assured Tony, setting a nervous hand on his shoulder.

"Oh shit," Bruce groaned again.

"This is real," Tony breathed, scrubbing a hand over his face. "We're going to get him. He's coming home!" He almost smiled, and probably would have if he didn't know exactly how much danger James was in. 

"Do you have the camera?" Steve suddenly asked Bruce. 

"Oh, of course!" Bruce exclaimed, bending to reach for his black doctor's bag. He quickly pulled out a small tablet and a pair of thick, black-rimmed glasses. 

"Those are the camera?" Steve asked, reaching for the frames. "But I don't wear glasses."

"Right, that's why it's perfect," Bruce grinned, switching on the tablet. "Try them on, we'll make sure this works."

Steve sighed quietly as he slipped on the glasses, looking from Tony back to Bruce. "Are they working?" Steve asked. 

"You have to turn them on, that little silver screw on the side is the power button," Bruce informed the blonde as he got the tablet running. 

Steve pushed the button, then turned and crossed to Tony's fridge, pulling open the door and reaching inside. 

"This is really it," Tony stated again, still seeming pretty shell shocked by what was happening. 

"I can see what you're seeing," Bruce announced, watching on the small screen in front of him as Steve pulled out a small tray of fruits. 

"How about sound?" Steve asked, though an answer wasn't needed as he heard his own voice echoing a second behind him.

"Steve," Bruce said suddenly. The blonde turned to look at him. "It's go time."

Within the next half hour, Steve had gotten himself together and gotten on the road. He'd lead Bruce and Tony to the small town near the address and left them with his colleagues. They were prepared, and with Bruce's camera, they'd know exactly when to infiltrate. 

Now, he was only minutes away, and his heart beat hard in his throat. His palms shook as he wiped sweat onto his jeans. He couldn't deny that he was nervous.

Mostly though, he was terrified to see the state James would be in. He knew Clint wasn't taking care of him, and he knew he'd probably be beaten up already. 

He took a deep breath and steeled his nerves as he approached the long driveway and began to make his way slowly down it. His heart thundered as the house came into view. 

He slowed and came to a stop, parking beside what had to be Clint's vehicle. He put his car in park and turned the key in the ignition, sliding it out and placing it in the pocket of his jeans. 

Before he could open his car door, a lanky man with dirty blonde hair and bright blue eyes came through the front door of the house and approached Steve's car fast. 

Steve pulled the handle of his door and slowly stepped out, reminding himself to stay calm and appear in control. 

"I-," Steve began but was cut off. 

"Do you have an appointment?" The man asked, his face hard as he scanned Steve from head to toe. 

"Uh, yeah," Steve began slowly. "You sent me the address." Clint was just an inch taller than Steve, but it was enough to make him nervous. He wasn't weak by any means, but he didn't like being the only one around.

"What are you here for?" Clint asked cautiously, arms crossed over his chest. 

"I'm-I'm here to see the cat," Steve replied, recalling the scene he'd played out in Tony's living room with Bruce. 

Clint's face softened and a small smile grew on his face. "This way," he called, making his way back to the door. Steve swallowed and pushed his fake glasses up the bridge of his nose, turning quickly to retrieve the small tray of fruits he'd brought before he began to follow. 

_"Visual on Clint. We've got his face now,"_ Steve heard in his ear. He could tell it was the voice of one of his partners and he wondered if they were gathered around Bruce's tablet the way he thought they were. 

Clint stood in the doorway and held his hand out in invitation as Steve stepped over the threshold. He looked around slowly as he stepped inside. 

It was dim. Hardly any sunlight was let into the house, and it smelled like stale beer. Steve quickly made a mental note of the location of the rooms and things in them. 

To his right was a small kitchen. A half-burned candle dripped wax down the side of the table and onto the floor where thin ropes lay. He recalled James telling him about being tied to the table once. 

Straight ahead was an open living room, with just a beat-up old couch and a big TV. A large stuffed dog lay abandoned on the floor on the opposite side of the living room near a hallway.

"So, did you already try him?" Clint asked suddenly, breaking Steve's train of thought. 

"What?" Steve muttered dumbly as he turned back to the tall blonde. 

"At Tony's house. Tony said you saw him and wanted him." Clint's eyes narrowed a bit as he scanned Steve once again. 

"Ah. No, I didn't play with him. I didn't have enough time, and I like to play thoroughly," Steve answered, his voice calm and confident and completely the opposite of how he really felt. 

_"Good answer,"_ Steve heard Bruce's voice in his ear and he felt confidence pour into him as he breathed. 

Clint nodded, his arms crossing over his chest again. "You don't look like a typical client," he stated. Steve felt cold fear climb up his throat. 

He forced a small grin and tilted his chin up. "Well, I'm here for the show anyway."

"Hmm," Clint hummed, finishing his quiet assessment. "I suppose so. Do you have the money?" 

Steve swallowed again and nodded his head, reaching to his back pocket for the wad of cash he held there. 

_"See if you can get him to state what it's for. We need hard evidence of what the payment is going to be for,"_ Steve could hear another officer saying, knowing it was true. Without admittance, there was no real proof that Clint was selling James for profit. 

"So…," Steve began, pulling out the money slowly. "Remind me what I'm getting for this?" He asked carefully, counting the money in front of Clint. 

"What do you mean? You asked for an hour with him and you're paying extra for the food," he said, pointing at the small tray in Steve's hand. 

"Right, but I just want to be clear of the guidelines," Steve pressed, holding the money in plain view. 

"Guidelines?" Clint laughed mockingly, shaking his head. "You get an hour to fuck him. You don't do any permanent damage and you don't pay any extra. I feel like that's simple enough," he finished, giving Steve another suspicious look. 

Steve nodded his head and held the money out, knowing better than to press the man any farther. He didn't want to risk being turned away or for any further harm to come to James. 

"Deal," he agreed. 

Clint took the money and counted it fast before stuffing it into his own pocket. "He's in the playroom," Clint informed, turning and heading for the hallway that Steve had already seen. "There are a lot of toys to play with, so if you need more than your scheduled time, you can let me know and I'll charge accordingly. 

"Is there anything I should know about him?" Steve asked, beginning to follow behind the man. 

Clint looked back over his shoulder with a scoff. "He isn't dangerous if that's what you mean. He's tired so he'll be easy to manhandle. I've already emptied him, so he won't be too much to handle."

Steve felt a chill run up his spine at what Clint could possibly mean by that, but he didn't want to seem too inexperienced by asking, so he didn't. 

"He's being stretched right now, so you won't have to do any preparatory work before you use him. There's a mini-fridge in the corner with water if you need it. When you're ready to begin your hour, flip the red switch on the wall. It'll turn on a light to let me know to start the timer. If you don't turn on the light, I'll start the timer within ten minutes regardless."

"Sounds fair," Steve said, for lack of anything better to say. Clint stopped before he reached the end of the hall and stood before a door painted red. Steve could see a large red lightbulb above it. 

Clint pulled a key ring from his pocket and began searching for the correct key before inserting it into the lock and turning it. 

"He's ready," Clint announced, throwing the door open and standing aside for Steve. "He was being a little shit this morning, so he's being deprived at the moment. You can remove the mask if you like, or leave it on. It doesn't matter."

Steve cleared his throat and moved into the doorway, steeling himself for what he might see. He barely bit back his gasp when he saw James tied to the headboard of the huge bed, his whole head covered in a leather mask with no eye holes and only tiny pinpricks by his nose for him to breathe. Some of his long black hairs poked out at the bottom of the mask, or Steve might not have even known it was James for sure. 

His ribs jutted out of his skin from the way his wrists were tied above his head and his hips looked strained to their limit.

"What's your name again?" Clint asked, bringing him back from his spiraling thoughts. 

"Oh, uh Tyler," Steve choked out, not taking his eyes off James on the bed. "Tyler Banner." He cleared his throat and pushed his fake glasses up the bridge of his nose. 

_"We see it,"_ Bruce's voice assured softly. 

"This your first time or something?" Clint asked with a curious look in his eye. He looked almost accusatory.

"Uh, I've done it a handful of times. It's… _thrilling_ " he lied through his teeth. He felt sick to his stomach saying it. "So…you don't have cameras in here, right?" Steve asked, turning toward Clint. "I mean," he amended, noting Clint's suspicious glance. "I don't really like having viewers while I...play."

Clint smirked. "No. No cameras in here, but I will tell you, it's not completely soundproof."

Steve nodded. "Okay, so…I guess I'll see you in an hour?"

"Looks like it," Clint grinned coldly, slapping Steve on the shoulder. He turned and retreated back down the hall without another word, leaving Steve alone. 

He quickly but quietly shut the door behind him, turning the lock, though he knew Clint had the key. It would still buy him an extra second if he came to need it.

He took a deep breath and prepared himself to get close to James. He knew he needed to help him, but he hated seeing him like this. 

When he turned around, he felt his heart constrict and tears pricked his eyes. He almost couldn't believe what he was seeing. 

James was tied to the posts of the headboard in the black bed, his arms above his head. His legs were tied open wide and he was naked. Steve could see that his feet rested on stacks of pillows, but that they'd shifted and sunk down, dropping him down onto…

Something that looked sinister, and evil and very, very painful. It was long, though at least a third of it was buried deep inside James' tortured red hole. 

He could see the way James' body trembled. Bruises bloomed dark and painful across his skin and if Steve listened closely, he could hear the muffled little sounds that fell from the brunette's terrified mouth beneath the intimidating mask. The blonde quickly turned and flipped the red switch to begin his hour.

Steve couldn't be sure if he could hear him or not, the way his ears were covered, but he wanted to try. 

"Buddy?" He called out quietly in a wavering voice. "Hey, bud?" He took a few slow steps toward the bed on shaky legs. 

"Jay?" He called again, receiving no answer. Slowly, he made his way up the black stairs that lead up onto the tall bed. He climbed onto the mattress carefully, trying not to shift his weight too much. 

As he got closer, the mattress dipped beneath him, causing the pillows to shift more. In a single instant, James' feet slipped as the pillows shifted, dropping him fast, lower onto the strange-looking sex toy. James' thin biceps flexed instantly, gripping the posts he was tied to, trying to hold himself against gravity. A shrill shriek escaped from beneath his mask and Steve felt his chest tighten in guilt. 

James' arms quivered with the effort of holding himself up, and Steve could hear him whimpering with his effort. His whole body glistened with a sheen of sweat and Steve couldn't help wonder how long he'd been like this. 

"Oh, sweetheart!" Steve cried, scrambling to James and wrapping his arms around him. James let out a frightened squeal that was still mostly blocked by the deprivation mask he wore. 

Steve knew he was terrified, but he had to get him down. 

"Okay, honey, I'm getting you down from here," Steve cooed soothingly. He gently slid his hand down to his backside, wrapping it around his inner thigh below his ass to hold him up more securely. 

He held James' weight in his hand, reaching with his other to quickly untie his wrists. He set to work untwining the rope from around James' body, slowly beginning to loosen his upper half from the bed frame. 

"I got you, buddy," he repeated, gently guiding his arms around his own shoulders and draping his chest against his own. 

Soon he'd worked the nylon loose and was able to grip James properly, lifting him a bit and laying him down gently on the pillows beneath him. The silicone toy remained lodged deep inside him. 

Steve felt embarrassment and guilt flood him as he realized that he'd not only have to look at James' most intimate parts but touch them as well. 

_Take that out of him, please take that out!"_ Tony's voice suddenly rang in Steve's ears, pleading pitifully.

"I got him, he'll be okay," Steve assured, though he was feeling less than confident in himself. "I'm going to take the mask off first."

James lay on the bed, motionless except for the way his chest heaved, trying to take a breath. His arms lay on the pillows beside his head and his legs were cautiously parted around the toy. 

Steve reached out and gently began feeling around the edges of the mask for how to remove it. It was plain black leather and it appeared to be seamless. 

_"There's a zipper on the back,"_ he heard Bruce's voice inform him. He didn't bother to ask how he knew that. 

Steve quickly reached to the back of the mask, feeling the zipper running from the bottom of the mask to the middle of the back of James' head and he carefully slid it up, not wanting to pull James' hair as he did. He then began to peel it away from the brunette's face, exposing him a bit at a time. 

As soon as the mask was pulled above James' mouth, Steve could see that there was another piece of black material still covering his lips. He continued to peel back the deprivation mask first. 

Once it was past his nose, James sucked in a huge breath, filling his lungs properly for the first time in who knew how long. Steve continued to unearth James' face, noting bruises all across his cheekbones and jaw that hadn't been there the last time Steve had seen him. 

Finally, it was off and Steve threw it to the floor, cradling James' head in his hands. 

Clint had masked his eyes with a second cloth and gagged his mouth before putting on the frightening leather gimp mask and it made a fire light hot in Steve's chest. 

"James?" He called again softly, causing the frightened brunette to suck in a gasp. "I'm going to take this out of your mouth, okay?" He asked, reaching for the thin straps that tied it around his head. 

James hesitated, then slowly nodded his head in agreement, allowing Steve to help him without a fight. Steve quickly pulled the straps apart, then began to pull it off, realizing that there was a thick piece of black leather attached that invaded James' throat. He pulled it slowly, growing more and more horrified when it didn't end. 

"Please tell me you're seeing this?" He panted, feeling his resolve being tested. James let out a nervous little squeak, thinking the man was speaking to him. 

_"We see it, Steve. This is going to hold up in court. We just need you to get James to state that he didn't want this and that it was done without his consent."_

Steve nodded, knowing the men would see it through the camera. 

Finally, the black plug ended and James gagged, coughing and choking on clean air. Steve thought he might throw up for a moment. 

A wet sob escaped him and he gasped, stretching his jaw uncertainly for a moment before he choked out, "th-thank you, sir, thank you, thank you," in a rambling whisper. 

Steve remembered that Clint had said there was water in the corner and quickly spotted the mini fridge that he'd mentioned. He hurried off the side of the bed and rushed to it, reaching inside and grabbing a bottle. He then hurried back to where James still lay vulnerable and cracked open the lid. 

"Here, bud, drink this," he said, holding the cold bottle to James' lips. The brunette gasped and flinched, turning away quickly when the bottle touched his lips, but turning back even faster when he realized what it was. 

He eagerly wrapped his lips around the mouth of the bottle and sucked, draining half the contents in just a few gulps. When he seemed satisfied, Steve pulled the bottle away, twisting the lid back on and setting it aside as James gulped in deep breaths of air. 

Steve let his hands land in James' hair, rubbing at his scalp soothingly. He tried to run his fingers through it but quickly found that it was stuck together and matted. As he slid his fingers over it, he realized that there was dried wax in his hair, clinging and sticking. 

Steve tried to pick some of it out and James whimpered at the sore feeling on his scalp. James slowly turned his head away, trying to get Steve's fingers away from his hair as politely as he knew how. When he did, Steve could see that the hair on the opposite side of his head had been shorn close, so close in places that his scalp had actually been cut and had bled. It stuck up unevenly all over his head. 

"Oh, sweetheart," Steve cooed, feeling hopelessness creeping up on him again. James whined low. 

_"Steve, please,"_ Tony's voice pleaded again. 

"Okay," Steve agreed, knowing he needed to help James off the toy. "I'm going to take this out now, okay?" He whispered, his voice shaking again. 

He took a deep breath and forced himself to adjust his position on the bed, getting a better look at James' bare lap and backside. 

His cock lay soft against his thigh, but it looked angry-red and sore. 

Steve gently wrapped his fingers around the silicone toy, noting the little suckers that lined it. He began to pull ever so slowly, not wanting to hurt James more than he needed to. 

"Ooh! Ooh!" James squealed in a pained voice. He lay obediently still, clenching his fingers tightly into fists as Steve pulled. His leg muscles tightened and tensed.

"I'm sorry, sweetheart, I know it hurts. It'll be out really really soon, okay?" He assured, beginning to tug at the tentacle again. 

"Ow!" James squeaked. "Okay! Okay! Bucky be-be good! Bucky a good boy, sir, Bucky promise!" He sobbed, doing his best to remain calm. 

"You're a good boy, baby. You're such a good boy," Steve cooed, seeing the end of the toy beginning to taper. "Its almost out, doll baby, I almost got it."

James squealed as the toy dislodged itself with a squelch and Steve could see that the soft mask that still covered his eyes was wet with tears. 

"That's it, James, you're such a good boy," Steve soothed, rubbing the brunette's thigh comfortingly. 

James nodded, sniffling as he did his best to sit up on his numb arms. 

"Bucky good boy, be so good for you sir, so good." He began trying to turn himself onto his side, gingerly keeping his legs spread. "Please be nice to Bucky, okay sir? Please?" He begged, rolling onto his stomach to offer himself up to Steve. He sounded so completely exhausted that Steve couldn't understand how he was still moving. 

"Jay, buddy, no don't, don't do that. Don't do that honey," Steve rushed out, grabbing a pillow and hurrying to cover James' over-stretched, exposed rim. 

He hadn't meant to but he'd gotten a good glance at James' hole. The ring of muscle had definitely torn in places, and he was so swollen and abused looking. 

Steve couldn't imagine having the courage to offer himself up despite the pain that he was clearly going through the way James was. 

"Sir?" Bucky's voice quivered, betraying his fear and confusion. 

"I-I…I'm not here for that, buddy. I…I'm going to help you," Steve murmured in a voice he hoped was comforting. 

Bruce's voice cut into Steve's thoughts just then. 

_"Steve, I know you really don't want to but I need you to take a good look at that for me."_

"Bruce," Steve nearly groaned, turning his head away from James. 

"Bruce?" James echoed, turning his head over his shoulder at Steve behind him. He was still blinded by the mask, but Steve could see his confusion clearly. 

_"I just need to make sure he isn't bleeding too much, and that the trauma isn't irreparable,"_ Bruce's soft voice called again. 

Steve sighed exaggeratedly. He didn't want to see James that way, and he didn't want to have to touch him sexually. He wasn't sure that James would forgive him if he did. 

Eventually, Steve would have to take the mask off him. He'd only left it on this long because he had no idea how the brunette would react upon seeing him, and he dreaded a negative outcome. 

"I'm going to take a look at your… _you,_ " Steve said quietly. James just nodded. 

Slowly, he moved the pillow away and took a deep breath before he finally looked down again. 

The bruises stood out immediately. Dark and sickly and splotched across James' lower back, his hips, his ass. He'd definitely taken a beating at some point. Steve also noticed more wax. It trailed down James' spine and down into the cleft of his ass, though much of it had already flaked off. It had left a trail of red flesh in its wake. 

Steve reached out gently and began peeling away the wax that remained. James let out a few tiny squeaks at the feeling of it pulling the tiny soft hairs of his lower back. 

Steve rubbed the skin soothingly for a moment, afraid to go farther. 

_"C'mon Stevie, get me a good look at the injury,"_ Bruce's voice called again. _"Spread him open so I can see it."_

Steve could hear rustling suddenly and a moment later the voice of one of his officers cut in. 

_"Get him to talk about what happened! Get him to tell you he didn't want it!"_

Steve nodded his head and slowly began to reach for James' ass, gently gripping with both hands. 

James gasped a little and turned over his shoulder again. The slow trickle of blood from the little cuts on his scalp had finally reached his temple and Steve felt overwhelmed by how many things he wanted to do for James to help him. 

"Please be nice, sir, please. Bucky a good boy, he fuck and suck and make you feel so good. Bucky take it like a slut, keep you good and squeezed," he advertised pleadingly, clearly in the interest of self-preservation. 

"I-I'll be nice honey. I just want to see how bad that toy hurt you," he replied truthfully. Finally, he worked up enough courage to spread James' cheeks with his thumbs, exposing his hole but not totally. 

"Bucky help," James announced as he arched his back and thrust his ass out, spreading himself wide. 

James' hole was stretched too wide and it gaped. The rim was puffy and furiously red. The skin between his cheeks was an angry red as well. Everything about it looked so painful. 

_"See if it's hot,"_ Bruce's voice cut back in. 

_"Of course it's hot, get him something cool for it!" _Tony's voice interrupted._ _"Guys, we don't have time for the medical exam and I really can't handle seeing this anymore, so why don't we get him to admit it was rape and kidnapping before Steve runs out of time?"_ _The three men were silent for a moment before Steve finally responded._ _

__"He's right, you can give him a good exam once he's out of here, Doc."_ _

__"Exam?" James echoed, tugging a pillow tight to his chest nervously._ _

__"Don't worry about that. Hey, why don't you turn around? Can I help you? Can you sit?" Steve asked._ _

__James nodded jerkily and began to roll onto his hip again, trying to lean onto the meat of his ass. He let out a squeak of pain and froze before he tried again._ _

__"Sorry sir, Bucky sorry. Promise Bucky good, Bucky listen. Bucky open wide and swallow too, promise," he urged, clearly used to being punished for not being able to immediately obey. Steve couldn't help but find himself a bit disgusted by what James had been taught to be._ _

__Steve gripped James gently, helping him to lay back with his legs spread wide. He then remembered the tray of fruit he'd bought and turned to grab it from the nightstand._ _

__"I bet you're hungry, huh, bud?"_ _

__James seemed to freeze, his mouth parted slightly and his eyebrows rising high on his forehead. He then quickly shook his head and turned away._ _

__"No sir," he whispered. His stomach growled and betrayed his lie._ _

__"How about a strawberry?" Steve asked, lifting one near James' lips. James took a cautious sniff, then leaned forward until his lips gently touched the cool fruit. He pursed his lips just a bit, as though he were kissing the fruit, then he pulled away again._ _

__"Daddy hurt Bucky. No eats."_ _

__"Oh sweetheart, does Clint hurt you when you eat?" Steve cooed, holding the berry close to James' lips still._ _

__James nodded cautiously._ _

__"What else does he do?" Steve pressed, waving the fruit below James' nose. James inhaled deeply, enjoying the fragrance of the fruit._ _

__"Daddy…punish Bucky."_ _

__"For what?"_ _

__"For…goin' potty in house, 'steada outside."_ _

__"Not allowed to use the bathroom?"_ _

__"No, sir. He…" James trailed off, thinking about what had happened that morning and let out a whimper._ _

__"So, do you like to do this?" Steve asked, finally pressing the red fruit gently against James' lips again. Steve could see that his bottom lip was split and he didn't want to hurt the man._ _

__"Like do?" James repeated, confused._ _

__"Do you like it when Clint sells you? When you have customers to take care of?"_ _

__James turned his head away, pushing Steve's hand away as he did. He still hadn't bitten the fruit, though he eagerly licked the juices from his lips._ _

__"I…I-I…" James stuttered, beginning to cross his arms over his chest defensively. "I take good care of daddy cocks. I make them feel good and they use me up," he finally said quietly. "Good little toy."_ _

__"Honey, that's not what I asked," Steve stated, finally dropping his hand down. "I asked if you like it. Please be honest with me."_ _

__"Bucky…not like the men. Not like the sex. Bucky not want it. Not want Clint…" he trailed off and Steve could see his lips begin to quiver. "Want go home. Want… _daddy Tony._ " he began sobbing nearly silently, covering his face with his hands._ _

__"Sorry, Bucky sorry," he whispered through his sobs._ _

__"So you don't want to be here?" Steve pressed, trying his best to keep the desperation from his voice. He was so close._ _

__"No!" James cried, shaking. "Want go home! Want go 'way from Daddy Clint!"_ _

___"Got that loud and clear. Sending three squad cars, three more to follow ten minutes after,"_ one of the other officers announced in Steve's ear. _ _

__"Ten-four. Be careful." Steve responded, keeping his voice low. He let his hand land softly on the side of James' head that still had long hair and he cradled the man gently. "I think it's time we took this mask off," he announced softly._ _

__James sniffled and nodded his head, slowly getting his erratic breathing back under control._ _

__Steve reached forward and very carefully untied the thin leather straps that tied the covering to James' head and slowly peeled the wet fabric away._ _

__James held his eyes closed tightly for another moment before he finally dared to squint them open. He blinked a few times and wiped the tears from his eyes before he finally took a good look at Steve's face._ _

__At first, his icy blue eyes opened wide, his eyebrows shooting up in disbelief. Then, they narrowed angrily, his jaw setting tightly. Then his eyes filled with tears and his face grew crimson red, humiliated. He turned away and his hands slowly moved to cover himself, ashamed that Steve had seen him like this._ _

__"I'm so sorry, buddy. I'm here for you," Steve said nervously, afraid of the way James might still react._ _

__"How…" James began quietly, his eyebrows furrowing again. Steve waited quietly for the brunette to finish. "How… _could you?_ "_ _

__"James, I..." Steve began, trailing off._ _

__"How could you do this? Do this to James? You pay Clint?" He demanded, turning his angry eyes back on the blonde. Steve gulped and lowered his head shamefully._ _

__"I had to, I-"_ _

__"You pay for hurt Bucky. You _pay him!_ " he cried, sounding absolutely devastated. "How could you?!"_ _

__"No! Jay, you have to calm down, you don't understand!"_ _

__"I understand," James stated coldly. "You…you said…it was my gift. You lied. It's my… _curse_ , and you're here to take it just like them."_ _

__"Jesus, James no! It's not like that! Look, I'm here to help you!" He lowered his voice. "I have a few men coming down here right now to help you out of here for good, okay? But I need you to stay calm. We can't let Clint hear us."_ _

__James paused, his eyes filling with hope._ _

__"…For good?" He repeated softly._ _

__"For good. You can be with Tony, okay? But we have to get you out of here first."_ _

__James gasped and his eyes filled with tears again. "Daddy Tony?!" He repeated excitedly. "Daddy Tony want me back?"_ _

__"He never wanted to give you up, honey. He's waiting for you. So let's get you out of here safe, okay? Let Steve take care of you." The blonde gently held the strawberry to James' lips again, and this time, James took a timid, tiny bite._ _

__He chewed slowly as he allowed himself to think about what was happening and his face began to pink again._ _

__"Bucky not want Stevie see like this," he admitted, shame clear in his voice. His hands still cupped his groin, keeping it hidden from view, but one hand moved to cover his chest as well. "I so embarrassed."_ _

__His head ducked down farther and his blush spread down to his shoulders._ _

__"I'm so sorry, honey. Why don't you get under the blankets here, huh?" Steve coaxed, pulling the comforter from under James gently and covering him with it. He pulled it up, tucking it under his arms._ _

__James smiled faintly and glanced up, crystal blue eyes meeting Steve's cerulean ones. "Thank you, Stevie," he whispered. "But how can I trust you?"_ _

__Steve's heart fell and his mouth dropped open wide, unsure of how to answer the question._ _

__Just then, both men jumped at the sound of loud banging on the door._ _

__"Uh, we're busy here!" Steve called loudly, trying to hide his own fear from James. He wasn't afraid for himself, he just knew that he'd never forgive himself if any more harm came to the timid man._ _

__"Yeah? Doesn't sound like it to me!" Clint called back. Steve couldn't be sure of the emotion he was expressing through the door. "I haven't heard a peep out of him, and I know from experience that he's a noisy little fuck."_ _

__Steve was quiet for a moment, deciding what to do or say._ _

__"Actually, I just wanted to inform you that I heard a little tidbit on my police scanner that you might want to hear."_ _

__Steve's mouth went dry and he glanced at James' terrified, watery eyes. James cowered beneath him still, lips quivering and frightened noises dropping from his mouth._ _

__"Yeah," Clint continued. "I hear there are a few squad cars on their way to _my house!_ It seems a little strange to me that someone who looks suspiciously like a cop shows up at my house and suddenly the police are on their way!" His voice still sounded strangely light and it made Steve a bit uneasy. _ _

__The blonde heard the telltale sounds of a key being inserted into the lock and gasped._ _

__"He knows!" Steve murmured out harshly. "He's breaking into the room, James and I are compromised!"_ _

__" _Roger, ten minutes out, Captain. Hold tight and stand your ground. We'll be there soon,_ " the voice of a comrade assured. _ _

__" _Protect him, please, Steve!_ " Tony desperately cried immediately after. _ _

__"Fuck," Steve grunted as Clint angrily came through the door. He quickly put his hand on James' cheek and caught his attention._ _

__"Stay here! Don't move!" He shouted, hurtling off the high mattress and onto the floor, heading off Clint before he could fully cross the carpet._ _

__"You stupid son of a bitch," Clint growled, raising both arms together to swing at Steve._ _

__The blonde easily ducked, jolting to the side, but he didn't expect Clint to pull his hands apart and have a rope between them._ _

__Clint quickly turned and swung his arms to the side, wrapping the rope easily around the shorter blonde's neck. Steve managed to get a hand up in time to catch the rope before Clint pulled it tight. It was tied in a sort of lasso, and when Clint pulled it, it tightened, trapping Steve's hand and cutting off most of his air._ _

__Steve felt his eyes grow wide and a strangled, surprised sound fell from his lips before he could stop it._ _

__Clint jerked the rope and pulled Steve closer, knocking him off balance and choking him more. Steve's free hand instinctually reached up to grab for the rope, but Clint balled his fist and landed a solid blow against his temple. Steve fell to his knees, struggling to draw a breath and fighting the impending unconsciousness he could feel beginning to set in already._ _

__He just barely registered the terrified whines coming from behind him on the bed and he fought harder to stay awake, pulling with his trapped hand to try to loosen the noose around his neck._ _

__"Stupid fucking pig. That was too goddamned easy. I could tell by the look on your face that you're no fucking client. You're not a dom, you're probably not even a top, are you?" Clint sneered, jerking the rope again and taking a few steps closer._ _

__Steve's face was red with trapped blood and he gazed up at Clint nearly blankly, gasping for oxygen. His body wouldn't cooperate with him, all systems failing steadily one after the other._ _

__"You're just another little toy that got too brave, aren't you?" Clint mocked, spreading his legs as he gripped Steve's hair harshly. He laughed as he pressed Steve's dazed face into his groin, toying with the man pervertedly._ _

__"No!" James suddenly shrieked, ringing in Steve's ears. "Not hurt Stevie! Daddy not hurt Stevie!" He cried, climbing from the bed hurriedly._ _

__"Jay…" Steve clicked out through his constricted throat, swinging his free arm back futilely, unable to tell him to stay away._ _

__"Stevie, huh? You know this lying fuck?" Clint sneered, still holding Steve pressed tightly to his jeans. Steve could feel the man's zipper rubbing his nose and cheek raw as his face pressed against it. "I should make you watch while I fuck his face. Unfortunately, we have to get out of here. Let's go, you little prick," Clint growled, shoving Steve suddenly and roughly onto the floor._ _

__Steve sucked in a ragged breath as the rope loosened and he reached out for James, managing to grab his foot._ _

__Clint gripped James' hair as soon as he was close enough and dragged him to his feet, yanking him down the hall almost faster than James' legs could move._ _

__He pulled him out the back door shrieking and yelling and through the untamed grass of his huge backyard. There was a small tool shed a few yards away that held a secret passage beneath it that would lead him close to the town. They could hide until nightfall and then figure out how the hell to get out of dodge._ _

__"Daddy!" James screamed when he realized where they were going. He didn't know about the passage, but he knew he didn't like Clint to be anywhere near metal tools and heavy items._ _

__When Clint roughly yanked him, he turned and opened his mouth wide, sinking his teeth into Clint's arm hard enough to draw blood._ _

__"Fuck!" Clint growled, dropping the man and favoring his wrist. James dropped to his knees and cowered in the long grass as he watched Clint's face turn from anger into fury._ _

__"Oh no," James whimpered, realizing what he'd done. "Oh no, daddy, no no no!" His voice hitched as tears welled in his eyes. He fell back and scrambled away, desperately needing to reach Steve again. Steve meant safety._ _

__He didn't make it to his feet before Clint was already grabbing at his ankle._ _

__The blonde gripped him tight and pulled, landing James on his stomach hard._ _

__"We don't have time for this, you little bastard, now either you come with me alive or you stay here dead," Clint growled furiously, teeth clenched threateningly._ _

__James whimpered and hot tears rolled down his face. He didn't have enough fight left in him to get away and he knew it. And he knew Clint meant what he said._ _

__He forced himself onto his knees, bowing slightly before Clint and the blonde smirked._ _

__"Good little pet. Let's go," he ushered, pointing at the shed. When James made no effort to move he raised his hand and slapped it across the brunette's face, drawing a sharp cry._ _

__"I said, _let's go._ " James knew this was his final warning. _ _

__"D-daddy…," he whispered, despite his fear._ _

__" _WHAT?!_ " Clint screamed, patience all but gone. _ _

__"I-I…I not want to go," James bravely admitted. He glanced up at the blonde to be sure he'd know when another blow was about to land._ _

__"Are you fucking kidding me?!" Clint growled, exasperated. He scrubbed his hands over his face and glanced back at the house, hearing sirens in the far distance. He quickly turned toward the tool shed and made up his mind._ _

__"You don't want to be with me? After everything I've done for you and everything I've given you?! This is how you repay me?!" He screamed, moving quickly toward the shed._ _

__James flinched at his tone but sat up a bit when he saw Clint moving away._ _

__"Please daddy," he begged, hands clasping like a prayer. "James been a good boy. James been so good! James did what you asked him, always!" He pleaded, still kneeling in the tall grass. His eyes overflowed with terrified tears._ _

__He heard Clint unlocking the door with his heavy ring of keys and then fast rummaging from inside. It was only a moment before the blonde's angry footsteps could be heard returning heavily. James felt his heart beginning to race, pounding against his ribs._ _

__"Please daddy!" He gasped, muscles tensing fearfully. "Please let Bucky stay with Stevie? Please, Bucky been such a good boy! So long!" He sobbed, still offering his clasped hands to the wide blue sky above them._ _

__Clint appeared around the corner, a murderous look in his eyes and a shovel in his hand, and he only had eyes for James._ _

__"Daddy!" James screeched in terror, clambering to his knees and trying to get to his feet._ _

__He desperately scrambled in the direction of the house, thinking only of Steve and safety._ _

__Suddenly, he felt a searing pain against his temple, solid and stinging. A loud ringing began to shriek in his ears and his vision went white. He barely felt it when he landed face first in the soft grass._ _

__

__Clint grunted as he swung the shovel, connecting the metal head of it with Bucky's skull squarely. The metallic crack was sickening, and it did hurt Clint to do it, but it had to be done._ _

__Bucky had been ruined during his time with Tony and there wasn't enough time to break him of it. Bucky was a ticking time bomb._ _

__There was no telling when he'd disobey at the wrong time or tip someone off before he found them a safe place somewhere new._ _

__Bucky had never been Clint's favorite pet anyway. His face was always contorted in some ugly way and he fought far too often. He hadn't even really wanted Bucky when he'd gotten him, he just couldn't afford the _really_ pretty ones. _ _

__Bucky had cost less because he wasn't trained properly or fully. Clint should have given it more thought before he'd just taken the deal._ _

__Clint sighed and gripped the handle of the shovel tighter, slowly raising it over his shoulder. He looked at Bucky for the last time, staring at the back of his mangled head. His body lay bruised and naked on the ground._ _

__Just one more swing. Just one more swing and he wouldn't have to worry about Bucky anymore._ _

__He took a deep breath and braced himself, tensing his muscles and preparing for impact. He clenched his jaw._ _

__He swung._ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Sorry it's taken so long as usual but I'm the actual worst. 
> 
> Anyway, what are your thoughts? Do you think he'll really do it? Are you happy with the way things have gone so far? 
> 
> I'd love to hear what you think! And thanks, as always, for reading!


	10. Chapter 10

Clint felt his muscles bulge and flex as he put every ounce of strength he had into his swing. He knew it would be messy but he didn't want to have to spare more than one.

The shovel whistled as it sliced through the air and Clint's body turned gracefully as he followed through.

Before the blow could land, something caught the handle of the shovel. Its momentum stopped, throwing Clint off his feet and wrenching the wooden tool from his hands. 

He stumbled and whipped his head around, cold blue eyes widening in something akin to shock. 

He was met with Steve's cerulean blue eyes, furious and intense.

"What the fuck?" Clint managed to gasp out, taking a quick step backward.

"How dare you," Steve growled, voice low and dangerous. He took a few steps toward Clint, circling him threateningly, not taking his eyes off the man.

"You're just going to bash his skull in with a _shovel?_ " He hissed, gripping the handle tightly in his own hands now. Clint watched him carefully with his eyes wide, beginning to betray his fears.

"You're just going to take his life from him? After years of torture? You would let him bleed out onto the ground without a second thought? After he gave you every ounce of loyalty and pain that his poor little body could muster? You'd just _leave!?_ "

The two men circled each other carefully, Clint taking a step back for every one that Steve advanced. The sirens were growing closer.

"Why do you even give a shit?" Clint finally demanded. "He was never that great anyway. He's just some lost kid that nobody gave a shit about. After those guys found him wandering the streets and took him in, after they gave him the drugs to make him obedient, he was nothing but a useless pile of oatmeal. There ain't any lights on up in the attic if you know what I mean," Clint sneered as he realized the shed was behind him now. 

Steve could see the plan forming in Clint's mind. He could see the escape building.

"He's smart. He's worth more than you will ever be," Steve growled, taking a step closer. 

"Not smart enough to get away," Clint taunted just before turning and fleeing in the direction of the building. 

Steve already knew he would run. He'd already planned on it. He took a huge step forward and lifted the shovel, swinging hard as he screamed his anger. 

The metal plate of the shovel connected with the back of Clint's head with a loud crack and the man flew to the ground, stunned. 

Clint shook his head trying to regain his senses and scrambled back to his knees to continue running, but he moved as though he were stuck in gelatin and Steve was on him too fast. 

He threw the shovel and jumped onto the man, wrapping his arms around him in an attempt to subdue him. Clint thrust his shoulders, twisting onto his back. He threw a punch that landed solidly against Steve's forearm but the shorter blonde didn't let up. 

He knew he had Clint in weight, if he could just keep him pinned until his comrades arrived, Clint wouldn't get away. 

"Let go of me, you useless pig! Good for nothing piece of shit, just like him!" Clint screamed, struggling manically to get away. "I should have killed him years ago!"

Steve felt rage boil in his veins and he brought back his fist, landing a punch squarely against Clint's jaw. He felt his anger swelling and raging more than it ever had before. 

He lost control of himself, gripping Clint's throat tightly and choking him as he screamed. He slammed Clint's head onto the ground over and over until Clint wasn't fighting back any longer. 

Steve couldn't hear the sirens anymore. He couldn't hear Clint's cries of pain or his own shrieking over the sound of the blood rushing through his ears. All he could hear was his fury. 

When strong hands gripped his shoulders and dragged him away from Clint's limp body, he roared furiously and turned his fight to whoever had grabbed him. 

"Rogers! Stand down!" The person shouted in a deep voice, trying to get his attention. "The battle is won!" 

Steve growled again and brought his fist back, prepared to fight tooth and nail to keep James safe.

"Steven!" The person, a man, shouted. Steve blinked and felt some of the anger drain away. He took a good look at the person and realized it was his co-worker, and one of his best friends, Thor. 

"Thor!" He gasped, panting. "You're here! You're here!" He exclaimed, his eyes filling with tears as he looked around at the field of grass, now swarming with officers in blue. 

He turned back and saw that Clint was being loaded onto a stretcher, unresponsive, and realized that he'd done it. He'd set James free. 

"Oh my God!" He collapsed into tears, falling onto Thor's broad chest, clinging to him tightly for a moment. He then quickly wiped his eyes and nose with the back of his hand and turned back to James, who was now surrounded by medical first responders. He won, but he wasn't done yet. 

"James!" He cried, taking a few shaking steps toward the man.

He'd been too far away to save him from Clint's first swing with the digging shovel and the hollow thunk sound it had made echoed over and over again sickeningly in his head as he looked at James, being lifted onto a stretcher as well.

He could see blood covering half of James' face and it was swollen and turning purple and Steve's heart shattered. He ran toward the three people moving the stretcher back toward the house and followed them closely. 

"Is he okay? Is he going to be okay?" Steve nearly sobbed, trying to get close to James. His eyes were still closed. 

"You have to get back, sir," a woman with long mousy brown hair and a soft accent said as she guided them toward an ambulance. "His vitals are good but we need to keep him stable. He needs to get to a hospital as fast as possible," she explained. 

"Can I come?" Steve asked desperately. 

"You can follow but we can't have anyone extra in the vehicle in case he goes into critical condition." She pulled a door open on the back of the large van and one of her co-workers opened the other. They quickly lifted the stretcher into the vehicle and Steve could see them fitting his face with a breathing mask before the doors shut, cutting him off. 

Steve felt lost, unsure of what to do. He was in no condition to drive safely, but he couldn't let James wake up alone. 

"Steve!" He heard, turning in the direction of his own car in the driveway. 

Tony rushed toward him, followed by Bruce just a step behind. "Oh my God! His face!" Tony cried, gripping Steve by his elbows. His face was anguish. 

"Please tell me he's okay?!" He shrieked. "You were supposed to protect him!"

"I-I,-" he stammered, shocked, and feeling like a failure. 

"Tony," Bruce said calmly, though he was clearly shaken as well. "Let's go to the hospital so we can be there for him. It's not Steve's fault, he did all he could, you saw it!" 

Tony broke down into sobs, turning and huddling into Bruce's chest, knowing he was right. Steve felt a few tears of his own slip down his cheeks. 

"Let's go," they heard from the direction of the house. They all turned to look. 

"Thor…" Steve began, unsure of what he'd say anyway. 

"Come on. None of you are in any state to drive. Let's go." He grabbed his keys from his pocket and headed for his squad car, knowing the three men would follow him. 

The drive to the hospital was only a few moments long, but it felt like a lifetime of horrified silence. Steve gazed out of the passenger side window but he didn't really see anything that he looked at. His eyes were wide as he thought about the number of things he'd seen and heard in just the last hour or two. His hands clasped tensely in his lap and he squeezed and rubbed them together with anxiety.

When they were near the hospital, Tony finally broke the silence.

"I'm sorry I said those things."

Tony's voice wrenched him out of his thoughts and his head whipped around in surprise.

"What?" He asked, caught off guard.

"I'm sorry I said that to you. I know it wasn't your fault. Thank you for saving him," Tony sat forward to speak to Steve more directly and sincerely.

Steve was surprised by Tony's words, but he appreciated them nonetheless. He swallowed and nodded, turning slowly back toward the front.

He felt too guilty to accept kind words after what had happened. He thought he'd been prepared, but he didn't have a clue. 

They arrived at the hospital just a moment after the ambulance and Tony, Steve, and Bruce all hurried from the vehicle as soon as Thor had put it into park. They were just a few feet away from the stretcher that held James and they could see that he was still unconscious. 

"I'm sorry, you'll have to wait here," a person in light blue scrubs and a mask informed them, heading them off before they could follow James into the critical care unit. 

"But-" Tony began, cut off by the person in scrubs again.

"I'm sorry sir, you'll all have to wait in the waiting room until he's stable."

So they sat. And waited. And stood, and paced.

Almost two long hours passed and both Tony and Steve were feeling incredibly guilty. They couldn't look at each other while they waited. 

Thor had gone to speak with some of the other members of their team about Clint, who was in the same hospital, and to get information from the doctors about James and Clint's conditions. When he returned to the waiting room, he was surprised to find Steve being comforted by Bruce the way he was, but he didn't say anything. 

Steve had stood again, pacing absently while his mind raced miles away. He'd stopped in the middle of the room and just stared, looking at nothing with his hands in his pockets. Bruce had stood quietly and slowly moved behind him, wrapping his arms carefully around Steve's torso.

Steve had jumped but had invited Bruce to stay with his body language. He reached and firmly gripped Bruce's arms, holding them where they were, and he'd leaned his head back against Bruce's shoulder. 

The brunette leaned forward and softly murmured to Steve, his lips gently brushing against the skin of his throat. Steve had closed his eyes and sighed. 

Thor glanced at the two men standing in the middle of the room, then looked to where Tony sat in his chair looking utterly lost. 

"Mind if I sit with you?" Thor asked politely, drawing Tony from his thoughts. The brunette started at the sound of his voice, then quickly nodded, scrubbing his hand over his tired face. 

"Please," he replied, sounding exhausted. Thor took the seat beside him and studied the man's face. 

"I know you're worried. You were very brave to trust Steve with this. He's going through a lot right now, too," Thor said softly. Tony looked up at the tall man and really took in his features for the first time. 

He was extremely tall and broad-shouldered. His hair was dirty blonde and his eyes were two different colors, one deep blue and the other rich brown. His beard was thick but it didn't cover the kindness on his face. 

Tony's eyes welled with tears as the exhaustion and fear came over him all at once. Before he could turn away or move, Thor wrapped him in his big strong arms and Tony melted into his embrace, sobbing quietly. 

"Any news on Clint and his condition?" Steve asked softly from the side, drawing Thor's attention, though he still held Tony.

"He's fine. Conscious and his condition is stable, though he has a pretty severe concussion and a fractured skull," Thor informed the group of men, all curious. "Few missing teeth, I think."

"Great. Super glad he'll pull through," Bruce replied bitterly in his quiet way with a roll of his eyes. 

"What about James?" Steve continued. 

"No word yet. His condition is much more severe. It's not just the head injury for him. He's gone through a minor surgery already to repair the damage done through sexual abuse and they have him on many fluids. Unfortunately, that's all I've been able to learn."

Just then, a woman burst through the doors. It was the same woman with long mousy hair that had loaded Bucky's stretcher onto the ambulance. Tony could see now that her name tag read 'Wanda'.

"You're here for James?" She asked quickly, panting. She glanced at each person in the room, unsure who was the person she should be speaking with. 

Tony leaped to his feet, eyes wide with trepidation. "Yes! I'm here, is he okay? Has he woken up yet?"

"He's just woken up but he's hysterical and terrified. We have four people holding him down but if he keeps fighting he's going to hurt himself or tear his stitches!" Wanda rushed, eyes wide as well. "Please come with me, sir, he needs a friendly face!"

She immediately turned and Tony followed right at her heel, anxious but so ready to see James. 

"We don't have any information on him. Do you have his last name?" Wanda asked, leading him down a long corridor. 

Tony stayed silent for a moment as his mind raced. He knew the hospital staff must be at least somewhat familiar with James' unique situation at this point with the help of the police and possibly the video that Steve had gotten, but Tony didn't want to give away too many private details. 

"It's Stark," he finally answered. 

"James Stark," Wanda repeated absently, and Tony liked the way it sounded as he heard it. His heart rate spiked as Wanda neared a room that was definitely the one James was in. 

He could hear James' scared whimpers and his pleas to be let go of and it broke Tony's heart. 

Tony steeled his nerves and turned the corner into the room behind Wanda. 

As the woman had said, four doctors and nurses were struggling to hold James still as he wailed and tried his damnedest to break free. 

"James!" Tony called out, surprising himself. The brunette's tear-filled blue eye met Tony's chocolate ones and he gasped. 

"Tony? Tony! Tony, please!" He cried, trying harder to sit up. 

"You have to stay down, we don't want to have to strap you to the bed!" One of the doctors informed James for what was probably not the first time. 

" _Daddy!_ " James shrieked, clearly terrified at the prospect of being tied down again. 

Tony rushed to James' side and eased a nurse out of the way, reaching to caress James' face. His head was wrapped in bandages and he had a large square of cotton covering one of his eyes. The skin that peeked out from beneath the white cotton was sickly green and purple and a dark purple bruise crossed over the bridge of his nose. 

James used his now free arm to grip at Tony's sleeve, clutching and holding it so tightly that Tony was sure he'd have a bruise later. 

"I'm here! I'm here, it's okay, sweetheart! I'm here and I'm not going anywhere, okay?" He assured, hoping James would calm down. 

Slowly, James' muscles began to relax and he stopped fighting the people holding him down. The eye that wasn't covered stared at Tony, round and barely blinking as though he were afraid Tony would disappear if he did. 

"Please not leave James, please not leave James," he whispered repeatedly, still clutching at Tony tightly. 

"I'm not leaving, my love, I'm right here!" Tony leaned forward so that his face was closer to James' and James sighed, relieved.

The doctors and nurses began to release James slowly now that he'd stopped fighting, but they stayed close by just in case. 

"Daddy, lay with James? Please daddy? Hold James?" He whimpered quietly. Tony looked to the closest nurse with a questioning look on his face and she nodded, so he smiled at James and nodded. 

"Sure, I'll hold you, baby doll." 

He carefully climbed into the small hospital bed beside James, avoiding all of the plastic tubes that connected to his arms and face and then wrapped his arms tightly around his torso, though not hard enough to hurt him. 

"Steve and Bruce are here too. We're all here for you, baby. You won't ever have to see him again," Tony cooed into James' ear soothingly. 

"Clint…gone?" He whispered. 

"He's going somewhere where we'll never see him again, love. You can stay with me now, as long as you want," Tony told him, taking in the cuts, bruises, and scabs on his face and neck. He could only imagine all the sores that must litter his body, and he felt guilty for allowing it to happen. 

"His condition is stable and his vitals are strong. He should make a full recovery as long as he takes it easy," one of the doctors informed Tony. "He's had a few minor surgeries and he has stitches in a few places. He's going to be here for a bit." Tony nodded his understanding. 

"James wan' go home," the scrawny brunette pleaded, looking over his shoulder at Tony with his good eye. 

"You'll be released in a few days, once we're sure that you're healthy enough to go," the doctor, a tall man with an ornate beard and shocks of gray at his temples, told James gently. He then turned his attention to Tony. His eyes were a cool slate gray. "He's going to need mental therapy as well as physical therapy. It's going to be a lot of care before he's totally healthy again. Are you up for that challenge?" He asked the older man.

Tony nodded immediately. "Of course. I wouldn't leave him." _Again,_ he thought to himself but didn't say. 

True to his word, Tony stayed with James the entire time he was in the hospital, observing the care the doctors gave him. He only left a few times here and there to eat or get coffee or bring back a treat from the hospital gift shop. He even stayed to shower in James' room. 

Steve and Bruce came to visit multiple times as well, much to James' delight. Steve brought candies and trinkets, while Bruce had brought books and games. 

James had a few breakdowns while he was there, scared of the people he didn't know, and all of the times they wanted to touch him. They seemed to be everywhere, and Tony couldn't be sure that he really knew what was happening around him, though they'd explained it many times.

Tony had to give James his sponge baths because he wouldn't allow the nurses to undress him or touch him. Tony had been all too willing to help, sponging away the old blood, sweat, and various unidentifiable substances that covered James' skin. He smelled strangely like garlic the first time Tony bathed him, but the older man didn't have the courage to ask why. 

He didn't have the courage to ask about anything that had happened to the poor man. He didn't want to risk triggering a panic attack, and truthfully, he wasn't sure that he wanted to know what had happened, or that he'd even be able to handle it himself. Not yet. 

In a few days, the doctors removed the stitches from James' scalp. He'd had to be sedated in order for the doctors to even get near him, but they'd said that the gash had healed up well enough to use a traditional bandage. They told Tony that the ones between his legs would have to stay for a bit longer until they dissolved on their own.

The hospital had worked with Tony and Steve to find a good therapist for James to talk to. He would start going multiple times a week once he was released, and Tony knew he'd hear every unsavory detail of James' abuse all too soon. He supposed it was better that way, for him to know exactly what he'd been through while also having a professional that could help them both through it. He'd be able to help the man move forward if he knew what had happened, as much as he didn't want to know. 

On the day that James was finally released, Tony had happily held his hand as they stepped out of the building into the sunshine. With the promise of therapy and the way James was healing so well, the hospital didn't find any reason to keep him any longer.

The police had kept them updated on Clint's condition, as well as their case against him. With the film Steve had captured with the glasses, they had more than enough evidence to sentence him to a lifetime in a cell. He'd even unwittingly gotten the ruthless first swing with the shovel and Clint's confession when they realized Steve had been wearing the glasses at the time.

James smiled and closed his eye, the right one still covered with a cottony white bandage, and turned his face up to feel the warmth on his skin. The swelling in his face had gone down nearly completely, though his skin was still mottled with a mixture of bruised colors. 

Steve and Bruce waited excitedly for him beside the waiting vehicle and stood as soon as they saw Tony and James exit the building.

"Hey, bud!" Steve greeted warmly, holding his arms open invitingly to hug the man. James had smiled wide and fallen into the embrace eagerly, tucking his head up under Steve's chin. 

When Steve had finally pulled away, he'd handed a bouquet of colorful flowers to James and the smaller man had blushed, smiling shyly. "Excited to go home?" He asked. James had nodded and sighed, leaning into Tony's side. 

"I ready," he stated, sounding tired. The three other men chuckled fondly.

"Hey, pal," Bruce said quietly, leaning forward to place a kiss on James' cheek. "It's nice to see how well you're doing," he smiled, offering his gift to James. It was a small white stuffed dog with a red ribbon tied around its neck.

James felt his chest constrict with anxiety and his eyes grew wide and filled with tears as he sucked in a long gasp. He shakily reached out to take the stuffed animal, though he didn't smile. They turned to usher James toward the big black SUV that Steve drove before any of them noticed James' expression.

They'd all climbed into Steve's big vehicle and Tony and James sat in the back seat together. Tony didn't notice the way James stared at the toy with mild horror in his eyes as he wrapped his arms around him tightly and smiled while he watched their surroundings absently.

When they'd gotten to Tony's house, Bruce and Steve had elected to leave them alone and come back later to let them get cleaned up and rest. Tony had happily suggested they take a shower, this time together, and James had mutely agreed, still clutching the toy tightly in his fingers. 

"Why don't you put your new puppy on the bed, okay? Then she'll be there when you go to sleep tonight " Tony had suggested while he started the water, knowing nothing of Angel or the way James hated and feared her. 

James had nodded stiffly and gone to Tony's room, setting the small stuffed animal at the foot of the bed, not wanting to take his eyes off her until he was out of the room again. 

When James was back in the bathroom with Tony, the older man had delicately helped him undress, being careful not to hurt the still healing bruises that littered his body and his extra sensitive skin.

"How are you feeling, babe?" Tony asked as he reached a hand under the water to test it. "Need some pain medicine after this?"

"Mmm, mmhmm," James hummed, nodding his head a bit. His body still ached. Though it was just a dull pain, he knew it would be worse soon if he didn't take anything for it.

Tony smiled sadly at the man as he quickly slid his jeans down his legs. James hadn't spoken more than a few words since he'd woken up in the hospital, and Tony was worried that he might not ever speak properly again. He didn't have much basis for the guess but it was a bad feeling that he had. They hadn't attended a therapy appointment yet, but Tony was nervous about the things that would come to light, and the trauma James would have to recover from.

"It's warm, let's get cleaned up, hmm?" Tony said, mostly just to fill the silence. James let out a little whimper and turned to Tony with wide eyes, but he hurried to get in just a moment later, a look of fear on his features.

"It's okay, buddy. I know you're tired. We can take a nice nap after this and then get something to eat. What would you like for dinner tonight?" Tony asked, stepping in behind the man. 

James didn't say anything, but cowered against the wall of the shower, huddled and bunched as far away from the water as he could possibly be. 

"Sweetheart, are you okay?" Tony asked softly, noticing James' tense fear. He reached out slowly to touch his thin shoulder and James yelped when his fingers made contact. 

"Please, daddy! Bucky good boy!" He screeched, sliding down to the floor. His hands were balled into fists in front of his face and he began to hit himself against his temples with the heels of his hands. 

"Honey! It's okay! I'm not going to hurt you! I just wanted to get you cleaned up! You can take your bandages off today, don't you want to wash your hair?" 

James peaked out from behind his hands and peered at Tony carefully. Slowly, he lowered his arms and reached his hand out shakily to touch the water. 

He jumped at first when it touched him and pulled his hand back, but when he realized it wasn't cold, he placed his hand under the water and let it run over his fingers. 

James made a humming sound again and glanced at Tony, though his fear didn't disappear.

"It's nice and warm, baby doll. You ready for me to get you cleaned up?" He asked kindly. 

James hesitated before finally nodding his head, though he wasn't any less frightened. 

"Did he make you wash in cold water?" Tony guessed, voice quiet, eyes guilty. James' eyes filled with tears and he nodded bigger this time. 

"Oh sweetheart," Tony cooed, kneeling down as much as he could in front of James. "You know I'd never do that to you. I'm so sorry for everything you went through, but I _promise_ you're safe here."

A few fat tears rolled down James' cheeks and he sniffled before he finally sighed. He knew he should trust Tony, he'd done so much for him already. 

It was just so hard to trust anyone anymore after Tony watched Clint drag him out the front door and didn't do anything to stop him. 

"Okay, daddy," James whispered, finally accepting Tony's offer. 

Tony slowly reached up and began unwrapping the bandages from around James' head, moving calmly so he wouldn't frighten the man. 

Once the bandages were off, Tony couldn't stop a little hiss from escaping from between his teeth. 

James' face was still a bit swollen and a very dark purple that faded into blues and greens and finally yellows. His scalp had been split open and it was bald as the scar Tony knew he would have where he'd been hit. His hair still stuck out in different directions, some pieces longer than others. He looked almost worse than the first time Tony had seen him. 

James slowly opened his right eye, blinking carefully at Tony. 

"Can you see?" Tony asked him softly, waiting for James to adjust to not having his eye covered. 

James nodded and a tiny smile graced his split lip. "Can see you, daddy "

"Good. Let's get you cleaned up. You're going to need a haircut once your scalp is healed."

James took Tony's offered hand and stood, allowing the older man to shepherd him into the warm water and lovingly wash and care for him.

James was so relieved when he felt the way Tony's hands scrubbed every inch of his skin. Flesh that felt so filthy. He let out a loud sigh as he dropped his eyes closed and allowed every muscle in his body to relax _finally_.

When they were done, James was exhausted. Tony helped him dress in soft clothing and then helped him to bed, laying behind him and holding him tight. 

James had his first therapy appointment the next day. Tony sat beside him comfortingly, holding his hand as he met the woman that would help him through his traumas. 

She had long, curly red hair and a kind face. Her name was Natasha and James told Tony she was pretty. He didn't feel comfortable telling her about the things he'd been through right away, and she told him that that was fine. 

James had to go see her a few times a week, and by the second week, he was finally speaking to her. 

He told her about the things Tony did to make him feel loved and she asked him about his favorite foods. Eventually, after a few months, he was ready to tell her about the horrors he'd lived through. That was when Tony learned just how much James had needed him. 

Within a few months, James had healed physically, just a few deep bruises that were still the yellow-green of healing. His hair had been shaved in order to start fresh and Tony thought he'd done a nice job on it. It didn't grow in the spot where Clint had hit him with the shovel, easily a two-inch slash across his scalp, level with his temple, but the skin had healed perfectly. 

Tony often wondered sadly if it reminded James of what had been done to him every time he saw it. 

James had begun to speak in more proper sentences and between living with Tony, Steve's visits, and Bruce's check-ups, he had learned a great deal very quickly as well. He was reading from beginner's books fairly fluidly and Tony was teaching him to cook. 

His smiles came more often now, and easier. He beamed brightly at everything new that Tony helped him experience. He'd gone shopping with Tony a few times and was growing more comfortable in his home with the older man. 

The one thing that was much harder was James' sex life. Sometimes he wanted it, initiating it with a reluctant Tony, but he always ended up crying or running away. Sometimes Tony could clearly tell that he felt that he needed to do it; like he owed it to the man somehow. Tony never accepted his advances on those days.

Sometimes, Tony found him masturbating furiously, tears running down his face as he sat in a dark corner of a room where he thought he'd be alone. Tony couldn't tell if James felt like it was a punishment or not, but it never seemed like James was truly enjoying it, and the older man had learned to stop James when he was found this way.

It all left Tony extremely sexually frustrated, being all too willing to give James pleasure again, but never getting the chance. He'd taken to hiding in his own bathroom a few times a week for an hour or so at a time while James watched a movie or played games with Steve and Bruce. He wondered if James knew what he was doing or not.

There was a part of Tony that would always feel guilty for allowing James to go back with Clint, but he knew in the end that Clint got everything he deserved. 

Clint had been released straight from the hospital into a prison cell, and there was no chance of him ever getting out. He hadn't been given a trial or a chance at bail. 

Steve and his team had raided the house they'd found James in a few weeks after they'd rescued him and found a den of horrors packed with nightmare fuel. Steve could hardly believe the insane amount of sexual tools and torture devices they found, not to mention the intensity of them.

When he'd returned, Steve had triggered the biggest meltdown James had had once he'd been released from the hospital. He'd gone to Tony's home with a gift in tow, thinking James might have missed it. 

When James had come happily running from his and Tony's bedroom to greet Steve, he'd been met with pure horror. 

"Hey, pal! Look, I brought you your friend!" He'd smiled, holding up the huge stuffed dog.

James had collapsed to the floor, hiding his head as he sobbed against the hard tile. 

"Please! Please, no, daddy! Bucky be good boy! Bucky not want Angel! Bucky not hurt Angel no more!" He'd screamed, reverting back to the powerless slave he used to be within seconds. 

"Honey!" Tony yelped, rushing to James' side on the floor. "What is the matter? You don't want your dog?" Tony asked, bewildered. 

"Please!" James sat up so fast to face Tony that he scared the older man. "Please not make me fuck the doggy!" He cried, face contorted in fear and misery, wet with tears. "Already gave her puppies!" He wailed, hands clasped pleadingly. 

"What the… Baby, what happened?" Tony asked, trying not to be hysterical himself. 

"The puppy!" James wailed, pointing down the hallway toward the bedroom. Tony leaned back to see what he was pointing out and saw the small stuffed dog that Bruce had gifted James upon leaving the hospital laying discarded on their bedroom floor. It had been discarded since James' very first day home, and no matter how many times Tony had moved it back to the bed, it just seemed to find its way back to lost again. Tony had never understood why.

"Oh, honey," Tony sighed, wrapping James in his arms. 

"Oh my God," Steve stated absently as he took a closer look at the stuffed animal and found the toy stuffed into the back. "I'm so sorry, buddy!" He exclaimed, rushing to open the door and stuff the thing back into his car as quickly as possible. 

James had cried hysterically for the rest of the night, even after both stuffed dogs had been discarded. He shook and covered his groin through his clothes. He'd muttered to himself about the doggy and how he'd hurt her. Tony was glad Clint was already in prison, or they'd have both ended up there. Steve was beside himself with guilt. 

James seemed to recover fairly quickly, being a little nervous and quiet the next day, but no major outbursts. Overall, James was still progressing beautifully. Tony made sure to mention the incident to Natasha the next time they'd seen her, being sure to get as much information as possible for when it possibly came up again. 

Pretty soon, summer was turning to fall, and James had recovered from his traumas remarkably. He was beginning to integrate himself into regular daily life, having gotten a job working at an animal shelter a few days a week. Tony had been a nervous wreck for the first week he'd gone, though it was only a few hours for a few days. He still wasn't speaking very much, but he'd gotten better, saying a few word sentences here and there.

James functioned as any other person would, though, and he loved his days with the kittens and puppies. He'd grown quite attached to an older cat named Alpine. His speech was the only thing that betrayed him from time to time, and generally, he was happy. 

Steve had taken to visiting him a few times a week, taking him for walks or to dinner. James looked forward to his days with Steve, worrying about his clothes and appearance for the first time. Tony was all too happy to indulge the man on a shopping trip to choose things on his own for himself to wear. He had quite an eclectic style. 

Over time, James all but forgot the things he'd been through, enjoying his days and nights for the first time in his life. The nightmares came less and less frequently, and now that Tony truly understood what he'd been through, he was better able to help.

Finally, James was able to experience peace and true love with Tony. His bruises had faded nearly completely, and Tony never marked his skin that way. What James had found was his own personal happy ending.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took so long to post, and truth be told, it's not the best ending.  
> Thanks for taking this wild ride into my mind, though. Please tell me what you think? Is there anything you wish was different? Or anything that you'd have liked to see included? 
> 
> Thanks again so much for making it all the way to the end with me!


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Steve would be there soon for their date, and this one was special. It wasn't going to be just a walk in the park or a drive around town, Steve was taking him somewhere he'd never been and out for dinner. 
> 
> He walked down the hallway to where Tony sat at the kitchen table knocking back a drink and stood nervously before him. He smoothed his hands shakily over his waist and peeped, "How do I look, Daddy?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I wasn't going to post this, though I'd had most of it finished before I abandoned it. I decided after some deliberation that I would finish it anyway and post it regardless. 
> 
> I'd decided against it initially because it seemed purely self-indulgent and I didn't think people would really like it, but after posting the "last" chapter, it just didn't feel "finished" to me. I think that's why I didn't receive many comments on it the way I had in previous chapters. 
> 
> I'm feeling much better about the ending now that I finally feel like it's finished, so I'm hoping you all enjoy it!

James took a deep breath to calm his nerves as he ran a comb through his hair, gazing at his reflection in the mirror. His soft black hair had finally grown back, long enough to style it nicely. 

James hadn't really cared for when his head had been shaved, showing off all the peaks and sharp angles of his face and skull from so many years without being fed properly. 

Now, it was starting to get longer in the front, and James loved it when Tony ran his fingers through it. There was still a slash near his temple where the hair refused to grow. Just one long pink scar that reminded him always of how far he'd come and how much Tony loved him.

He cleared his throat and straightened his shirts, gazing in the mirror again. He decided to reapply deodorant, just in case. He was already pretty nervous. 

Steve would be there soon for their date, and this one was special. It wasn't going to be just a walk in the park or a drive around town, Steve was taking him somewhere he'd never been and out for dinner. 

He walked down the hallway to where Tony sat at the kitchen table knocking back a drink and stood nervously before him. He smoothed his hands shakily over his waist and peeped, "How do I look, Daddy?" 

Tony glanced up at where James stood and he smiled slowly. 

"Damn, baby. You look amazing. Wanna come sit in Daddy's lap for a minute?" The older man suggested with a slow wink, eyeing James from head to toe. Truthfully, James looked great. He wore a long-sleeved white button-down shirt and a matte brown waistcoat threaded with shimmering gold. His pants were a beautiful burnt sienna color that made his eyes unbelievably blue. His waist looked so inviting and his lips were so plush…

Tony stood from his seat and crossed to James with a smile, drinking in every inch of James' delicious body. He placed his big hands on James' tiny waist, softly roaming his hips, lower back, and stomach. 

Tony licked his lips and his breathing began to come faster. He'd had a few drinks already and his head was buzzing, but it wasn't so much that he was putting James' well-being at risk. 

"God you're so gorgeous, baby," Tony growled low, leaning close to James' throat, nuzzling at his ear with his nose. He gently opened his mouth and began to lick and kiss at the skin of his throat, gently scraping his teeth against it. 

James' breath hitched softly and his shoulders tensed, but he didn't move. He still hadn't been able to make love to Tony. It had been months, and the older man could barely get it off his mind. 

"C'mon baby, we still have at least a half an hour before Steve gets here. Can we play? Just a little bit? Daddy has missed you so much," Tony cooed into James' ear, licking and nibbling at it. He gently pressed his hips against James, and he knew the smaller man could feel how incredibly hard he was between his legs. 

"Can we play, baby?" Tony pleaded again, letting his hands roam back to where James' pert ass filled out his pants deliciously. 

He'd been able to gain and maintain a healthy weight with Tony and his ass was even more round and supple and inviting. His thighs were so thick and gorgeous and Tony just wanted to suffocate between them.

"Please baby," Tony begged softly, sliding his fingers down his ass to press between James' legs. 

James let out a frightened yelp and began to wrench and twist his body away from Tony's loving grip. He took a fast step back and looked at Tony with wide terrified eyes, chest heaving with huge breaths. 

Tony sighed and dropped his hands defeatedly, turning back to where his empty glass sat on the table. He gripped it and turned toward the cupboard, slamming it on the counter. James jumped at the sharp sound and watched from the corner of his teary eyes as Tony refilled the glass, nearly to the brim, and began drinking it down again. 

"I-I," James muttered, trying not to let Tony see the tears in his eyes. "Forgot to brush my teeth," he managed to squeak before he turned and fled. Tony heard the lock click on the bathroom door as soon as the door shut. 

Tony watched him leave from the corner of his eye and immediately broke down into tears as well. He leaned over the sink, hands over his face and sobbed quietly. He hated this. This strange game they were playing. 

He didn't mean to make James feel so uncomfortable. That was the last thing he wanted. It had been months since they'd been intimate, and Tony felt like he'd tried everything. 

He'd tried letting James come to him, waiting and hoping that the time would be right soon. The younger had tried a few times, getting Tony worked up expertly, bringing him to a panting mess, but when it came down to the action, James hadn't been able to do it. He'd cried and run away. He'd avoided Tony for days. 

So Tony had tried taking charge, setting a romantic dinner, and lighting candles all over the house. He'd played gentle music and dressed his best. 

Once again, James had been unable to be intimate with Tony.

It wasn't too big of a deal, Tony understood the things James had been through. He understood that it could be a while before James felt comfortable sexually again. 

But months had passed, and Tony was frustrated. Of course, he took care of himself in private, but it wasn't the same. He missed the way James' skin felt against his own. He missed the way he could make him squeal.

And that was just another reminder for Tony. He _knew_ he could blow James' mind and make him come hard. He knew all the places that made James come undone, he knew the way he loved to be kissed. 

But James wouldn't let him. 

Tony ground the palms of his hands into his eyes, drying the tears that streamed down his face and he took a deep breath, trying to compose himself. 

A knock at the door brought Tony back to reality and put a bitter taste in his mouth. 

_Steve._

Steve had been pivotal in James' escape from Clint. He'd saved James' life, literally, and he'd been there for every step of his healing. He was always a shoulder to cry on or an ear to listen, but now, he was the source of Tony's jealousy. 

Tony turned his head toward the door and looked at Steve's handsome face through the glass. He waited until his head stopped spinning before slowly making his way toward the door, opening it without a smile. 

"Steve," he greeted. 

"Hey, Tone! How's everything going?" Steve asked cheerfully. He was dressed in dark blue jeans and a dark gray button-down of his own. He carried a jacket under his arm. 

"Absolutely fantastic," Tony muttered, sipping his drink again. "Steve's here," he called loudly so that James would hear him. 

They could hear shuffling from down the hall and quiet muttering before the lock clicked off and the door creaked open. James came around the corner smoothing his hair and straightening his waistcoat again before he looked up and smiled sheepishly at Steve with a blush. 

" _Wow,_ " Steve breathed, taking him in. "You look absolutely gorgeous," he grinned from ear to ear. Tony's jaw set and he cast a glaring eye over Steve. 

"Look at this little arm candy! And I get to be the lucky guy that takes you out!" Steve gushed, gripping James' waist as he looked him over again with a smile. 

Tony scoffed under his breath and muttered into his drink as he took another sip.

"You ready to go?" Steve asked James excitedly.

James nodded his head happily, bouncing on his toes with delight. 

"Okay bud, why don't you go out to the car, I'll be out in just a minute, okay?" James nodded and headed toward the back door before he threw a careful glance over his shoulder at Tony. 

"Bye, daddy. I see you later," he nearly whispered, not quite meeting Tony's eyes. With that, he quietly slipped out the door and headed for Steve's car. 

Steve watched the interaction curiously, not making any comments. Once James was out of earshot, he turned to Tony. 

"Everything okay? Is he having a bad day?"

"He's fine. Everything's fine," Tony grumbled, not meeting Steve's curious cerulean gaze. He hadn't even bothered to get dressed that morning, feeling too pent up and frustrated, and knowing that James' attention seemed to be shifting toward Steve anyway.

"Oh…okay. Well, he didn't even give you a kiss," Steve pointed out.

"Yeah, I was there for that," Tony griped, turning to fill his glass again. He was already half-lit and would certainly be in the bag soon.

Steve frowned but wasn't sure how to respond.

"Are you two doing alright?" He finally pressed. 

Tony flipped his attention to Steve angrily.

"We're fine," he snapped. "He's beautiful and perfect and sexy and doesn't want me to touch him. He loves to turn me on and leave me hanging, so I'm a little bit frustrated if you _must know_. I have quite a bit of porn to catch up on once you leave, so…" he trailed off and pointed toward the still-open door. 

"Oh, Tony. You of all people know how much he's been through. You must understand why he's still scared. He just doesn't want to be hurt again."

"Don't you think I know that, Steve?" Tony growled. "I know he's been hurt! And I would never push him to do anything he doesn't want! But can you try to understand how frustrating it is to wake up next to the most gorgeous thing you've ever seen and not be allowed to touch it?" Tony ran a hand through his hair, mussing his already messy locks. "It's like he _wants_ me to touch him but he refuses to let me and I'm just…I'm just frustrated, okay?!" The older man nearly shrieked, trying to pull himself back under control. 

"How are things with Bruce, hmm? Wonderful? Romantic? Getting all the big fat cock that you want? Getting dicked down every night? Screaming his name?" Tony taunted jealously. "I remember what a good fuck he is."

" _Tony,_ " Steve warned growing red in the face. "Bruce and I aren't serious, we're just…seeing each other. That's really inappropriate and uncalled for. "

"Is it? Because you're getting amazing orgasms nightly, and daily, you're here making the one person I love more than anyone else fall for you, too." Tony crossed his arms over his chest and glared at Steve. 

"You know it's not like that, Tony. I care about James, I love him. And I love you. I would never do that to either of you, and I'm not even interested in him that way. You know that."

"Yeah," Tony mumbled, turning away from Steve to brace his hands on the counter. "So you've definitely never fucked him, right?" He sighed and continued before Steve could grow any angrier. "Just go. Have a good time. I'll be here waiting for him tonight."

Steve paused quietly for a moment, then decided it was for the best that he just go. "I'm taking him for dinner tonight, so don't worry about cooking," he stated quietly, heading for the door. Tony didn't respond. 

Steve had driven them through town and past the colorful changing leaves of fall. When they pulled in, James couldn't take his wide eyes off their surroundings. He was amazed.

"What is this place?" He asked, turning back to Steve finally. Steve chuckled. 

"It's a pumpkin patch. There are all kinds of fun things to do here and good food to try. C'mon, let's go see," he smiled, though his conversation with Tony weighed heavily on his mind. 

Steve lead James through a decorative archway made of leaves of all different colors. There were pumpkins and squashes both real and fake all over everything. The smell of pumpkin pie and apple cider filled the air and James couldn't help but smile. 

There were a lot of people milling about, eating funnel cakes and enjoying the fanfare, and the bustle and noise made James nervous. He reached slowly for Steve's hand, gripping it tightly in both hands as he gazed in wonder at a Ferris wheel in the distance. 

Steve curled his fingers between James' and a small smile graced his lips, but it made him feel guilty. Perhaps he should have a talk about boundaries soon before things got out of hand. He didn't feel that James felt anything but friendship for him, but it was possible that he was wrong. 

"So, what do you think?" He asked, catching James' attention again. "You wanna check out the food? Ride a ride? Maybe see the animals or the cider mill?"

James' eyes grew wide and he shook his head slightly. "I-I, I-I…" he looked around again, clearly overwhelmed. 

"Okay. Let's do the hayride first, then maybe we'll go through the maze." Steve suggested, wrapping his free hand around James' forearm and guiding him in the right direction. 

Steve had paid for the tickets and they'd loaded into the huge wagon that was hitched to an even bigger tractor. They settled in on a few big bales of hay, and James had scooted close, gripping Steve's thigh as he looked around. 

"Where we go?" He asked quietly, leaning in to keep the conversation between them. Steve leaned his head down and rested it against James' forehead with a smile. 

"Nowhere. It's just a little joy ride; sightseeing. Then we'll get to see the whole place and all the things to do." James smiled, looking up at Steve with his crystal blue eyes.

Steve felt his face pink after a second and he shifted his eyes to the other passengers on the trailer. Most of them were glancing around excitedly and chatting amongst themselves, but a few had noticed their proximity. No doubt they must look like lovers whispering cutely to each other.

Steve cleared his throat and sat back, scooting away from James a bit. 

Once the bumpy ride was over, they'd decided to see all of the animals in their separate barns. James was excited to see all of the different varieties up close. He'd never really seen anything aside from cats, dogs, and the occasional bird.

Steve had led him through multiple types of rabbits, then sheep, followed by some pigs. James had loved petting the soft bunnies, but he hadn't cared much for the sheep. He told Steve that their eyes made him feel strange and uncomfortable. He'd thought the pigs were funny, the way they snorted and rolled in the mud making him laugh. 

James had practically swooned over the cows' sweet faces but best of all, he'd been in love with the horses. They'd stayed in the barn for almost a half-hour, greeting each and every horse they could before Steve had finally managed to drag James away. 

Let's go check out the corn maze, then we'll get treats," Steve bribed James, holding his hand out for the brunette to take. 

James took Steve's offered hand and followed happily, not even sure what a corn maze was. When they got to the entrance, James poked his head around the corner. 

"Hallway?" He asked, seeming amused as well as confused. 

"Sorta like that," Steve answered with a small smile. There was a couple ahead of them, so they waited their turn quietly.

"Scary hallway?" James broke the silence with, beginning to feel nervous. Steve could feel his hand growing clammy in his own. 

"No bud, it's a maze. Like a puzzle…that you walk through," Steve tried to explain with a laugh. The couple before them headed into the maze and they stepped up to wait until they were far enough away before heading in themselves. 

When the attendant waved them in, Steve led James around the corner, walking slowly as he gathered his thoughts.

He watched as James checked out their surroundings, looking at all the decorations and signs that hung amongst the bundled stalks of corn and hay.

"So," Steve began, deciding where to start. "How are things at home?"

"Nice," James said absently. "Like working with the kitties. Real ones," he tacked on. Steve felt himself stiffen, but glanced over and saw the wry smile on his lips. He shook his head and smiled to himself. At least he'd developed a sense of humor.

"That's good. And what about…things with Tony?" He pressed gently, trying to look nonchalant.

"Oh. Good," James replied noncommittally.

"Yeah? Tony seems a little…" he paused to search for the word. " _Frustrated,_ " he finally finished.

James' eyes drifted away and his face looked almost guilty.

"Is everything okay?" Steve asked again, still clutching James' hand.

All of James' body language seemed to droop. When James spoke, it was just a quiet murmur.

"Tony mad at James," he finally managed, looking down at the ground.

"Why do you feel like that?" Steve asked carefully. James paused for a moment, paces slowing.

"Bucky…not want sex," he admitted almost shamefully.

"Is it something you've talked to Natasha about?" Steve asked, already knowing what James had told him before he'd said it. "And please don't call yourself Bucky."

"Can't," James whispered, glancing up at Steve with just his eyes.

"Because he's there?" Steve guessed.

James nodded. "Can't say in front of Tony."

"So can I ask what it is that's stopping you?" Steve continued, hoping to gain something from the conversation. 

James stopped, still looking down at the ground. Steve glanced behind them to be sure that nobody was close enough to hear them before he turned his attention to James.

"I…scared," James admitted softly.

"Of what?"

James looked up at Steve with his eyes filled with tears and whispered, " _Sex._ "

"I-I… _sex?_ I don't understand, what do you mean? I thought you loved sex with Tony?" Steve questioned, trying to understand. 

James' eyes grew huge and the tears began to roll down his cheeks, falling onto the ground. "Sex!" He insisted again. "Not want sex! Daddy Tony hurt Bucky-"

"-James,"

"Hurt _James!_ cf Then have to go to hospital again?! Have Strange doctor sew up James inside?!" He shook his head wildly. "Not want sex, _not want sex!_ "

"Sweetheart, Tony's never hurt you before, has he?" Steve pressed, curious now. He took James' elbow gently and peered into his eyes. "Has he?"

James shook his head and wiped his nose with the back of his hand. "No. No, never hurt James. Always make James feel so good. Always give James his cummies," the brunette answered honestly, cheeks glowing carmine. 

"So, he made you feel nice?" 

James nodded. 

"Do you _want_ to have sex with him?" 

James paused, then nodded again. "Miss it. Make us both feel so good. Now, I hurt Daddy Tony. Hurt Daddy Tony over and over. He mad at me."

"I don't think he's mad at you, sweetheart, I just don't think he understands what's changed. He thinks it's him." Steve looked down and saw that their hands were clasped tightly still. 

A movement behind them caught Steve's attention and he turned to see three teenage boys giggling as they made their way toward them. Steve gently took James' waist in his hands and guided him backward against the wall of the maze, hovering just a few inches above him as the three boys passed. 

Steve watched them go and then turned his attention to James, inches away from his own face. 

James looked up at him with wide blue eyes rimmed with full black lashes and Steve could feel his face turn hot and red, spreading up to his ears. He had to ask. 

"What about me?" He finally managed, taking a slow step back but not taking his eyes off James.

James cocked his head to the side in confusion, unsure what Steve was asking. 

"Do…do you want sex with me?" Steve blurted out, looking away down the long "hallway" of corn. 

James froze, every muscle tensing. His eyes grew wide with fear. 

"Steve want fuck James?" He asked in a shaky, quiet voice. He whined a bit, low in his chest, and began to slowly turn around, as his shoulders began to shake with suppressed sobs. He trembled as he pressed himself against the wall. 

"No! No no no, honey! No!" Steve scrambled, trying to pry James off the wall before anyone could see them. He managed to get the man turned around, but he still looked terrified and betrayed. 

"James, no! I don't want to-" he lowered his voice to a whisper. "-I don't want to _sleep with you_ , I really don't! Do you want to fuck me?" He asked imploringly.

James shook his head, watching Steve closely. "James not wanna sex with Steve, not wanna! Steve is Bucky's friend!"

" _James-_ "

"Steve is _James'_ friend! James love Steve, _very much_ love Steve. _NOT_ sex with Steve." He sounded like he wanted to be very plain and clear for the blonde so that there could be no mistaking it. 

Steve blew out a sigh of relief. "Thank God," he chuckled, letting out a breath he didn't realize he'd been holding. "Good. Well, I think you need to talk to Tony about this because he thinks you want me instead."

"Tony thinks I want you?" James asked, sounding suddenly lucid. It always unnerved Steve a little bit when James had clear moments. He never expected them because they didn't happen often. 

"Uh, y-yeah, he…he kinda accused me of sleeping with you. And, no offense Jay, but…I've seen more of you already than I ever want to again," Steve huffed a nervous laugh, stuffing his hands in his pockets. He began slowly walking again, taking small steps until James followed a step behind. 

"I didn't like you seeing me naked," James admitted quietly. Steve chuckled. "I don't want to again, don't worry."

The two men both breathed easier after having talked, and they found their way through the maze relatively easily, making a few wrong turns here and there. James was able to find the exit before Steve did and he did a funny little uncoordinated victory dance.

"Alright, alright," Steve laughed, enjoying watching James' gloating. He'd really come so far in such a short time. "Punk."

James giggled and took Steve's hand again, looking around them at all the things left to do. At the end of the maze was a whole field of different food trucks and stands, serving hot, fried, cheesy, sweet and in general, unhealthy foods.

"I'm starving, kid. You wanna get some grub?" Steve asked, looking around at all the options.

"Yes!" James nodded his head excitedly, looking around as well. He seemed a lot more comfortable now that they'd been there for a while. "Ice cream?" James asked, frowning when Steve chuckled.

"Later, let's get some real food first," he suggested, leading James to a cart that had a multitude of offerings on display.

They ended up getting a lamb gyro, a sausage sandwich with fried onions and peppers, elote, and a pulled pork sandwich, plus a big plastic cup full of lemonade. It was just like the first cup Tony had ever given James. Admittedly, it was too much food, but they vowed to share it. 

James loved the way the sour cream and barbecue sauce mixed with the tender pork, but he hated the mess, so he made Steve hold it while he took huge messy bites.

Steve laughed as he wiped some sauce from the corner of James' mouth with his thumb, popping it into his own mouth before he leaned over to take a few bites of the gyro that James held. They shared everything as they'd said they would.

"Not like green peppers," James commented with his mouth full of sausage, once they'd polished off the pork and lamb. His voice held the child-like quality that Steve was used to again.

"Noted," Steve replied, trying the elote. By the time the two were finished, they were stuffed and ready to relax for a moment.

"Why don't we take a nice slow ride on the Ferris wheel, hmm?" Steve suggested, suppressing a burp with his fist. James giggled and nodded. "Okay, but is it too scary?" he asked, looking up at the huge structure. 

"I suppose it could be if you're afraid of heights," Steve admitted with an easy smile. "Are you?"

James looked from the Ferris wheel back to Steve and shrugged. "Not sure. Never tried."

"Well, let's do it!" Steve grinned, pulling gently on James' hand. He paid the attendant and they took their place in one of the large gondolas, James scooting close for security. They ended up in the gondola alone and slowly waited as the others filled with people. When they were stuck near the top, James made a nervous sound in his throat and slid as close to Steve as he could, peering over the side. 

Steve chuckled and placed his hand on James' thigh, squeezing reassuringly as he left it there. "It's okay, buddy, the ride will start soon. It's just a big circle," he assured. Soon, they were spinning slowly through the air, and James quickly grew used to the feeling, smiling as he looked around at the huge autumn festival. 

"Thank you, Stevie," he smiled shyly, loving his special date with the man. 

They ended up riding a few more rides and playing some games, then perusing the cider mill, choosing a few spiced ciders to take home. James asked to pick up a few treats for Tony and he and Steve shared a huge ice cream cone topped with candies and sprinkles before finally, Steve took him to choose a pumpkin to take home. The sun had gone down and people were beginning to pack up for the night. 

"It's about time I took you home, kid," Steve said, watching James' happy face. 

"Awe," James whined, much like a child, and Steve laughed.

"We'll come again before the season is over. It's almost Halloween, they'll be here for a bit still."

They'd loaded their prizes and treats into Steve's car and James had fallen asleep on his way home. Steve felt like it had been a pretty good day, all things considered. 

It was getting pretty late when they pulled in to the driveway of Tony and James' home, and Steve could see the living room light on through the back door window. He had a little apprehension about what might happen and what kind of state Tony would be in, considering the way he'd left the man, but he took a deep breath and prepared himself for anything. 

He had to walk James in, help him bring in all his treats and prizes, and most importantly, deem whether or not he was safe to stay with Tony for the night. 

He hated to admit it, but Tony had been drinking a lot recently. He knew it had to do with his own frustrations, but he couldn't help but worry about James. He knew that Clint had doled out the worst of his beatings when he'd been drinking and that James was nervous around alcohol in general. 

Tony never took it to extremes, but Steve refused to disregard the idea that it could happen, especially at James' expense. He'd never forgive himself if James was hurt again when he could have prevented it. 

"Hey, bud, you're home!" He called softly, resting his hand on James' still-small wrist. James jumped a bit, glancing around him, then he smiled and yawned, rubbing his eyes. 

"Thanks a lot, Stevie," James smiled sleepily. "Had lots of fun today," he groggily mumbled. 

"I'm glad buddy. Let's get you and your stuff inside so you can get to bed, huh champ?" Steve suggested with a light tap to James' thigh with his knuckles. 

"Good idea," James yawned again, fumbling with the door handle. They grabbed as much as they could, James grabbing the treats and Steve grabbing the prizes, pumpkin, lemonade cup, and anything else he could manage in one trip.

Steve turned the door handle with his elbow knowing it would be unlocked, then pushed it open slowly for James with his foot. The television was playing quietly in the living room and Tony sat in the middle of the couch. The rest of the lights were dimmed and the rooms were quiet. 

Steve began setting his things on the kitchen table. "Hey, Tone," he called out softly, unsure how or if the older man would respond.

Tony's head turned quickly and he sat forward to turn around, smiling wide at them. 

"Hey, guys!" He greeted cheerily, standing and crossing the rooms to meet them. "How was your day?" He asked them both happily. Steve wasn't sure if Tony was drunk or not. 

"Good!" James chirped sleepily, lifting up onto his toes excitedly. "We saw the piggies and the cows and then a hallway made of corn and then a Paris wheel!" He clamored to rush out.

"A Paris wheel?" Tony repeated teasingly. 

"Yes! And then the pumpkins and the apples, and then we got you treats!" James continued, gripping a paper plate full of funnel cake covered in powdered sugar and holding it out to Tony.

"Oh sweetheart," Tony cooed adoringly, taking the offered dessert and setting it gently back on the table. He then placed his hands at James' cinched in waist, over the embroidered overcoat and gently but firmly pulled him in close. He leaned forward slowly, watching James' expression as he came in for a kiss.

He kissed James softly, deepening the kiss just enough to make it sweet, then pulled away before he could make James uncomfortable. "You're so amazing," he smiled, speaking gently to James. "I'm so glad you two had a good day today."

Steve could tell he was being genuine, but he wasn't sure still about his sobriety. 

"He ate well?" Tony asked Steve paternally, wrapping James warmly in his arms. 

"Oh yeah. We both ate like cows, plus he had ice cream," Steve replied with a guarded smile. 

"I'm glad," Tony sighed, pressing a kiss to James' forehead. "Why don't you go get cleaned up and ready for bed?" Tony said to the younger brunette. "It's late. You can tell me all about it tomorrow."

"I'll go grab the rest of his stuff from the car," Steve said absently, trying to watch James for any negative reaction. 

"Oh! I'll help you!" Tony offered quickly. He pressed a quick kiss to James' lips and gave him a swat on his backside before heading for the back door. He didn't notice the way James looked back over his shoulder nervously when he did. 

Steve gave James a lingering look, wondering if he would be alright. James smiled and padded back over to Steve, standing on his tiptoes to kiss his cheek sweetly. 

"Thanks for such a nice date, Stevie. Had so much fun," he said softly before turning and heading toward the hallway. He turned over his shoulder before he could disappear around the corner. "I'll talk to him," he assured. "G'night Stevie."

Steve smiled and nodded. "Goodnight, kiddo." He watched as the brunette disappeared down the hall before he turned to deal with Tony.

"Hey, I don't know what's his and what's yours, so how about you just give me a little direction here?" Tony chuckled a bit self-consciously as he peered into the back of Steve's vehicle. Steve snorted a puff of air through his nose and peered over Tony's shoulder into the car. 

He sniffed the air around Tony's body surreptitiously, finding it sans alcohol, then gently budged the man out of the way. 

"Pretty much everything is his, honestly," he chuckled, looking at the containers of treats and toys he'd won. "I just got a candy apple," he added, pulling his from the small batch of them and setting it aside. 

"Jeez. Brought back the whole place, huh?" Tony joked, grabbing a plate full of fries covered in cheese and a bag of red fish-shaped candies. "There's no way he'll be able to eat all of this," he commented, looking back at Steve. 

"Yeah. That's alright," Steve replied quietly. He took in Tony's appearance quietly, noting that he'd gotten dressed and combed his hair. "Tony, I gotta ask," he began, plucking up the courage to be forward. 

Tony stood and turned to Steve, a bit of guilt on his face. 

"How sober are you? Because I don't feel comfortable leaving him here if you're drunk."

Tony nodded understandingly, clearing his throat quietly. "I didn't drink anymore after the two of you left. I'm straight as an arrow," he assured. 

Steve glanced long at him before he nodded. "Okay. I'm glad to hear that."

"I appreciate your asking, actually," Tony stated sincerely, grabbing the rest of the things from the back seat. He began walking back toward the house, hearing Steve's footsteps in tow. "It means a lot to me that you care about him that much."

"Of course I do, you know I do."

"I'm…" Tony began, setting down his armload of sugar before turning to face Steve. "I'm… _really_ really sorry about the things I said earlier. It was completely uncalled for, and I was an asshole." His face turned pink as he said the words, but he held his eye contact. 

Steve's lips quirked up a bit, appreciative of the apology "Thanks, Tony. That's really-"

"No, I mean it. I was a total dick. I'm just really-"

"Frustrated, I gotcha."

"Still, it's no excuse. I'm glad that we have you in our lives. I don't want to fuck that up."

The two men looked at each other for a moment, before finally, they both leaned forward for an embrace, holding each other tightly.

"Thanks, Tony."

"I love you, Steve."

"I love you too, man," Steve grinned, shoving the older man's arm gently. After a moment, his face sobered again, growing serious. "I gotta tell you something."

Tony's face grew concerned, almost nervous as he waited for Steve to continue. 

"James…I know he's been…working you up, lately…" he trailed off for a minute. "H-he thinks you're mad at him," Steve finally said. 

"Why would I be mad at him?" Tony asked, almost shocked. 

"Ask him."

Tony hummed. 

"I'll let you know when I have a free day again. I'll pick him up," Steve promised.

"You could stay. Bring Bruce with you," Tony offered. 

"Roger," Steve smiled. "Good night, Tony."

The older man walked the blonde to the door and locked it behind him, sighing as he thought about his conversation with the man. He then quickly cleaned up the kitchen a bit and made his way to the bedroom. 

He was met with the sight of James, asleep, hanging off the edge of the bed. He had stripped down to his underwear, one sock off and the other half on, and his clothes from the day were strewn across the floor. Tony chuckled as he gazed at the man. 

The bruises had completely faded away, cuts and scabs healed. His body had filled out healthily, his skin now fleshy and soft rather than sharp and angular from hunger. Tony couldn't see the outline of his spine poking through his skin anymore, like a constant reminder of his past life. The dark circles under his eyes had disappeared, his face sweet and calm. He even let Tony keep his beard neat now, attempting to learn how on his own.

Tony quickly stripped off his own clothes, making a mental note to clean them up from the floor in the morning. He then crawled into bed with James, pulling him gently back onto the mattress and tightly into his arms.

When morning came, Tony found himself wrapped around James. His breaths came deep and slow, clearly still far in sleep. Tony took a deep breath and carefully disentangled himself from the smaller man, stretching a bit.

The first rays of the morning sun were peeking in through the window and lighting the room slowly, chasing the deep shadows away.

Golden light was beginning to bathe James in warmth and Tony smiled as he took in the beautiful sight.

He lay on his stomach, hugging his pillow tightly to his chest and his thick lashes were fanned across his cheekbones. His shoulders were broad, tapering down to that little waist, and the curve of his well-fed ass was sinful.

Tony suppressed a groan and softly ran his fingertips across James' skin, down his back and to the curve and slope of his lower back.

It didn't take him much to get hard, having been so long since he'd had proper loving. He choked back a sound and gripped his own hard length in one hand, gently reaching down lower to squeeze at the flesh beneath his fingers.

He kneaded James slowly, stroking himself even slower. His eyes slipped closed as he thought about how it would feel with that perky little ass wrapped around his-"

"Daddy?" James murmured drowsily.

Tony froze, eyes flying open. He felt a bit guilty, knowing how James had been feeling about this sort of touch lately. He slowly released his tight grip but left his hand on the man's ass.

"I'm sorry, sweetheart," he whispered back, cheeks growing warm in the soft light. "I should have waited until you were awake before I touched you.

James' eyes opened steadily until they were wide and round, and he watched Tony with a wary look. He didn't respond.

"Did you sleep well?" Tony asked, tucking his length between his legs and turning onto his side, pulling on a warm smile. He moved his hand to rest on James' lower back instead.

James nodded, stretching a bit. He let out a yawn but kept his gaze warily on Tony.

"Are you mad at me?" Tony asked quietly, the smile falling from his face and revealing his nervousness.

"Not mad, daddy. You mad at me," James replied, turning away shyly. His face glowed pink.

"Why do you think I'm mad at you, babydoll?" Tony questioned.

James' eyes grew watery, glistening in the light. He shifted his icy gaze to Tony and he opened his mouth to speak, but his lip just wobbled in silence.

"It's okay, honey. I really want you to trust me. I promise you can talk to me, I _promise,_ " Tony practically begged.

James paused for a moment before he finally spoke up. "Not…not want sex," he whispered nervously.

Tony chuckled wryly. "Yeah, babe, I know that by now."

The two were quiet for a few moments, just thinking over the few words that had been said and enjoying each other's company.

Finally, Tony mustered up the courage to speak again.

"You know," he began, drawing James' attention. "It _is_ hard for me. I love you very much, and I miss making you feel good." He glanced nervously at the other man's face, noting the way his eyebrows were screwed up anxiously.

"Do you miss me at all? I-intimately?" He asked, despite his reluctance to.

James blew out a long slow breath, looking down at the pillows beneath him. He still lay on his stomach, Tony's hand warmly encompassing his lower back.

"Yes, daddy," James finally answered, barely above a whisper.

Tony pondered his short, simple answer before he spoke again. "Do you really feel that way? Or do you think I want you to say yes?"

"Miss you, daddy. Make James feel so good, but…" he trailed off, glancing at Tony's chocolatey brown eyes with worry. Tony wasn't sure if he'd meant to continue or not.

"But…?" Tony pressed, heart thumping in his chest.

A soundless sob escaped James' chest and the tears that filled his eyes finally spilled over, rolling down his cheeks. "" he whined.

"Scared? Of _me?_ " Tony asked, almost laughing at the prospect of the idea. "I've never hurt you, honey. Have I?" He asked, suddenly worried.

Tony could see James thinking in his head and he waited for the man's answer.

"No, daddy. Always make James feel so good. Special and…" he couldn't think of any other words to describe his feelings.

"So…Can we maybe try again?" He asked hopefully.

James' breath hitched and he thought about the question. He had so many things that he wanted to say, but he just couldn't make the words spill from his brain to his lips. He nodded slowly.

Tony couldn't hold back his excited grin, still painfully hard between his legs.

"Really? Oh, honey, that's great!" He eagerly climbed onto his knees, kneeling over James and drinking in the sight. He couldn't believe how excited he was to _touch_ him again.

"You just keep talking to me, okay, doll face? Just tell me if you like it, or if you need me to stop, okay?" He asked, not waiting for an answer before he began pressing wet kisses against the skin of James' back. He let out a little moan of pleasure as he let his tongue dart out to taste his warm flesh.

"God baby, I love you so much. I missed this, I missed you," he rambled as he positioned himself over James, bracketing him between his eager knees. He began to rut against the man gently, watching his clothed cock slide between James' cheeks over his boxer briefs, pressing deeper and harder against him. 

"Oh, baby-"

"DADDY!" James screeched suddenly, twisting onto his back, throwing Tony onto the mattress unexpectedly. "No, daddy, _PLEASE!_ He shrieked, tears pouring down his face freely.

"Honey!" Tony said, floundering for anything to say. "I-I thought-"

"Please, daddy," James sobbed, holding his hands between his legs as he curled up as tightly as he could.

Tony let out a hard sigh, running his hands through his hair in exasperation. He could feel the earlier frustration creeping back upon him and it made him furrow his brow.

"I'm sorry," he bit out, climbing from the bed. He was embarrassed. He just wanted to get away. "I'm really sorry," he said again as he grabbed his robe from the floor, pulling it over his shoulders as he quickly headed for the bathroom.

"Daddy?" James called miserably, watching as Tony walked away from him, wanting nothing more than for him to stay.

Tony sighed again loudly, immediately feeling bad for doing so, then turned back to look at James.

"Yes, honey?" He bit, just a touch too harshly.

"Not want Tony to leave!" James pleaded, still sitting against the headboard of the bed.

Tony barked a mirthless laugh as he turned back for the bathroom.

"You clearly don't want this," he started, gripping at his aching cock. "And I really need to take care of it. I'll be back in a few minutes."

"No!" James yelled, face growing stormy. He scurried from the bed after the older man, hands clenched into fists and jaw set tightly.

Tony's eyebrows flew up in surprise, turning to face James again.

"Wh-"

"No! Daddy Tony listen to James! Daddy not _LISTENING!_ " James shouted, crossing the room quickly. Tony took a quick step back, surprised by James' speed and anger.

He had to be wary. Natasha had warned him that, because of the way James had lived, he was pre-dispositioned toward anger and possible violence.

James gripped Tony's robe tightly, pulling him in close, glaring at him furiously.

"Not listening!" He hissed again.

Tony nodded quickly, taken aback. "Okay! Okay, I'm sorry honey!" Tony squeaked, hoping he wouldn't have to apprehend the man.

James opened his mouth again, and Tony could see his thoughts behind his eyes. 

"I…I-I," James tried, unable to make the words come. Frustrated, he growled and shook Tony hard by his robe. Before the man could react, he turned and threw him onto the bed. Tony landed with an oomph, and quickly tried to scramble up onto his elbows.

James moved too fast, though, and he clambered up onto the mattress, pinning Tony beneath him. 

"James!" Tony bit out, before the man gripped his jaw harshly, squeezing slightly. Tony's eyes widened in fear.

James lowered his face close to Tony's and growled out, " _James. Want. Tony._ "

Tony couldn't hold back the scoff that burst from his lips. "Honey, I know you don't, it's okay-"

"HEY!" James shouted, making Tony jump. "Tony not _listening!_ " He insisted again. This time his eyebrows unfurrowed and a painfully hopeful look took the place of his anger. "Please, listen!"

Tony nodded his head again. "Okay, honey, you're right. I'm sorry! I'm listening!"

"James _want DADDY_ ," he tried again, voice breaking on the words. He willed so hard for Tony to understand that it hurt.

Tony tried to understand, he did try, but he just couldn't.

"O-okay…What do you need from me?" He finally asked timidly. As the question left his lips, he realized that he should have asked much sooner than now. Of course the man needed some control, after everything that he'd been through.

James looked away for a moment, rolling over Tony's question in his head. Finally, he slowly nodded, but it didn't seem like Tony had quite hit the nail on the head yet.

A small smile crossed James' lips slowly as he realized that, with Tony giving up his control, it was possible that he could still get what he wanted. That he could still make Tony understand.

"Over," James commanded softly, releasing Tony's face finally. Tony was surprised at first, but he slowly turned onto his stomach, watching James over his shoulder.

James' smile grew bigger as he looked down at Tony beneath him, and finally, he leaned forward. He gently slid Tony's robe from his shoulders, then repeated Tony's actions back onto him, kissing and licking at the skin of his shoulders. After all, that hadn't been what scared James, it had felt nice.

He slowly began to pull the skin between his lips, biting gently as he got lost in his own endorphins. Tony let out a little moan, casting his eyes to the ceiling in a silent prayer that James wouldn't leave him out to dry again. 

He felt James' hands between his legs, big but not as big as his own, caressing his inner thighs. A chill ran down his spine as he waited to see what James would do next.

He jumped a bit when he felt James' semi-coarse beard between his thighs and felt his lips on his skin. When James' sharp teeth carefully bit the sensitive flesh of his cheek, he let out a yelp.

"Okay, daddy?" James asked softly, voice deep with lust. Tony swallowed and nodded, beginning to piece together what it was that James needed.

"Yeah, I'm okay, sweetheart," he managed to murmur. James hummed and Tony could feel his fingers sliding into the waistband of his boxer briefs, pulling them down clumsily. 

Tony lifted his hips to help and his heart jolted in his chest, nervous but excited about what would happen next.

James wasted no time, gripping Tony's ass with strong hands and pulling his cheeks apart with his thumbs, diving in face first.

He hummed as he sloppily licked and sucked at Tony's hole, pressing the tip of his tongue inside just barely. Tony let out a shriek that quickly grew into a dirty moan, his hips already pressing up and down between the mattress and James' eager mouth.

"Oh god, honey!" Tony moaned with abandon, finally receiving the intimacy that he'd been craving for so long. "You feel so good!" He nearly whined, unable to help himself.

Before he could comprehend that James' tongue had disappeared, James' fingertip poked at his sloppy rim, gently urging it to stretch.

"Oh shit," Tony whimpered, not having been on the receiving end in years. "Be gentle!" He yelped as James' fingertip breached him. The younger man didn't respond, but he slowed considerably, conscious of Tony's needs.

He began to work his finger in and out, listening to the moans of pleasure that the older man was crying out.

"You talk to James, daddy. Let me know I do good," he encouraged, voice deep and soft. 

"Oohhh, _fuck,_ honey, give me more, please!" Tony begged, gripping fistfuls of the sheets below him. James smiled and slowly began to work a second finger inside, petting Tony's inner walls with his fingertips. 

"Oh please honey, just give it to me!" Tony begged, dripping copious amounts of precome onto the mattress below him. He was already so close, he could cry. 

"Not yet, daddy. James not hurt Tony," James cooed, pumping his fingers faster. Tony raised his hips and began pressing back against James' hand, burying his fingers fully inside himself. 

"Daddy good boy," James cooed as he watched the tight muscle loosen around his fingertips. "Good boy for James, so good," he rambled, barely suppressing how excited and overwhelmed he was at the prospect of a new experience with Tony. Not only was it new, but James had been craving it for so long.

"James make daddy feel so good, make it so good for daddy," he continued as he gave a gentle tug to Tony's rim, testing just how far it could stretch without hurting the man. After so many years with Clint, he knew the pain of being used without being prepared, and there was absolutely no way he would do that to Tony. 

"Think you're ready, daddy-love," James grinned, his voice growing quiet in excitement.

"Yes! Yes, I'm ready, I'm ready!" Tony sobbed, eyes squeezed shut tightly and fingers gripping the sheets so hard it hurt.

James sat up on his knees and gently leaned over his older lover, kissing the back of his neck as he ground his hips into Tony's firm ass. He quickly stripped off his boxer briefs, freeing his hard cock finally.

"Um," James breathed, beginning to sound apprehensive. "James a little nervous," he admitted softly, tapping Tony's slick hole with the head of his cock 

"You'll do great, baby, you'll be so good. Daddy needs it so bad, I promise I'll love it," Tony nearly whined, pressing back against James' teasing length. "Please, honey."

James let out a little sigh. "Wait, daddy."

Tony let out a choked off sob, looking back over his shoulder at James.

"Over?" James instructed again, moving away so that Tony could turn. The older man quickly did as he was asked, willing to do anything to make James give him what he craved. 

James surged forward, claiming Tony's lips into a consuming kiss as he gripped his own length and prepared to enter the older man, wanting him thoroughly distracted when he did. 

Tony wrapped his arms around James' small but much healthier waist and held him in place tightly, losing himself in their passionate kiss. Suddenly, he felt the hot burn of James' blunt round cock head stretching him and he gasped into James' mouth as the younger man pressed himself inside. 

"Oh, honey!" He cried, throwing his head back. He knew the pain would give way to pleasure, but he needed James to give him more first. He lifted his legs up and bracketed James between them, squeezing him tightly in place and trying to force him in farther with his powerful thighs. 

"Daddy!" James nearly squealed as he felt his cock sliding further into the man's entrance. He sucked in a sharp breath and for a moment, his vision went white at the intense pleasure he felt from the velvety-hot squeeze of Tony's walls. 

They both panted and trembled for a moment before James finally took control. He gripped Tony's legs at his inner knees and pressed them into the mattress, pinning him down. Tony resisted a bit, but was pleasantly surprised when James overpowered him, taking complete control. 

The younger brunette began to roll his hips fluidly, setting a steady pace as he pleasured both of them. Tony couldn't help the moans that poured from his lips as he finally relaxed and gave every ounce of power to the younger man. 

James loving gripped his wrists and pulled Tony's hands up above his head, holding him down as he continued to thrust into him. He knew his cock was much bigger when it was hard and he didn't want to go too fast, for fear of hurting the older man. He hadn't even given Tony every inch of himself yet. 

He could feel the way his own pupils had dilated and his head swam pleasantly with endorphins as he drank in the beautiful sight of his lover coming undone beneath him. 

"God, baby, you feel so good!" Tony whispered with his eyes still shut tightly. James grinned and began to thrust just a bit faster, reaching down to softly grip at Tony's cock, playing with the precome that oozed from the tip with his thumb.

" _Baby!_ " Tony cried again, feeling his release careening over him like a wave of fire and ice. "Please, harder! I'm gonna come, baby!" Tears began to run from the corners of his closed eyes and a little sob hitched in his chest. 

He'd been left needing for so long, the intense pleasure was almost unbearable. He could feel how big and long and hard James' silky cock was inside of him, but he hadn't even reached his pleasure spot yet. He tried to hold back his release, unsure of how much more James needed, but he couldn't hold it back for long. 

"I'm sorry, sweetheart!" He cried as his pleasure broke free. Thick ropes of milky white seed shot from the end of his cock, painting both of their stomachs and chests and Tony cried out a lilting, broken siren song that went straight to James' cerebellum. 

The younger man was overloaded with sensory ecstasy and he couldn't control it when his body took control. His hips began to thrust almost brutally hard, snapping his length into his older lover's receptive body until he bottomed out, drawing a sharp cry from Tony's lips. He began to grunt as he chased his own pleasure, low and animal-like and his icy blue eyes slammed shut as Tony's entrance began to flutter and squeeze at him in his overstimulation. 

Tony felt his hole spasming, trying to force the intrusion out as his pleasure waned and was replaced with a sore, aching feeling in his groin and stomach. James pounded into him savagely, and when Tony opened his watery eyes, he was greeted by the most beautiful sight he'd ever seen. 

James' eyes were screwed shut tightly, his eyebrows pulled together in an expression that almost looked like pain. His own come painted a stripe across the younger mans face, slashing across his brow, over his eye and down his cheek and Tony was filled with a heat that couldn't be anything other than overwhelming love. 

"I love you! I love you, I love you, I love you!" James suddenly sang out, and Tony felt his body being filled with James' hot, wet passion.

Finally, James slowed his hips, pushing and pulling just barely as he rode out the waves of his orgasm, shaking and beginning to drip sweat from his forehead down the bridge of his nose. Tony quivered and shuddered beneath him.

Finally, James opened his eyes and looked at Tony with an expression of trepidation on his features. 

"Daddy okay?" He panted, wiping sweat from his brow with the back of his hand. 

Tony smiled and his chest continued to heave as he caught his breath. His smile grew into a huge, pleased grin and he nodded, cupping James jaw in his hand. 

"Thank you, baby. I needed that so bad. So bad, baby."

James smiled sheepishly as he leaned into Tony's loving palm. He slowly pulled his softening cock from Tony's entrance and the man hissed beneath him as he did. 

They lay together in silence, basking in their glory and tenderness for a while before Tony spoke softly. 

"Can we talk, baby?" He asked, a twinge of nervousness creeping into his voice. 

" 'Course, daddy," James sighed, eyes closed comfortably. 

"Do you not want me to…have you that way anymore?" He asked softly. "I mean, the way we used to?" His heart thumped nervously in his chest, hoping James wouldn't retreat from the question. 

His pale blue eyes opened slowly, and for a moment, Tony thought he might not answer.

"I…I don't know. I just scared, daddy."

Tony nodded. "Because of what happened?" His voice was soft and understanding. 

"He hurt me, daddy," James whispered, tears pooling in his eyes. 

Tony nodded understanding and waited to see if James would say more. 

"He make me hurt. Not feel so good inside," James admitted, thinking about the humiliation he'd felt. His lip quivered, and when he thought about the doctor's faces and they ways they'd had to heal him, the tears began to stream down his cheeks. 

"Oh honey, it's okay. It's okay, sweetheart. It's okay to cry," Tony cooed as he wiped the tears from James' face. James let out a sigh that cleansed his chest of old hurt and lay down gently against Tony's chest, sticking them together with Tony's cooling spunk. 

Tony held him tightly and carded his fingers through James' fluffy, shorter hair and soothed him until the tears stopped. 

When they'd finally gotten up, the morning was nearly afternoon and both men were dates and happy as they went to the shower together. Tony lovingly washed James' hair and body, the way he had when he'd first come to live with the older man, and this time, James returned the favor. 

They'd gotten dried and dressed and Tony had made them a late brunch before they sat together and ate. It was quiet, but not uncomfortable and they smiled warmly at each other until James had stood and gently placed himself in Tony's lap.

The older man had wrapped his arms around James' middle tightly and kissed his back, happy to finally have gotten past James' fear. He was excited to show affection to the man again, in the way that he needed it, without misunderstanding. 

"So, have you made a date with Steve again?" Tony asked pleasantly as James stood to help clean the kitchen. 

"Not yet, daddy. Maybe we have him at dinner soon?" He asked, looking back at the older man as he rinsed their plates in the sink. 

"Sounds good sweetheart, maybe we'll invite Bruce too."

One of the nights that Steve came for dinner, his face was grave. He wouldn't talk about it with James around, but the first chance he got, he pulled Tony to the side to speak with him.

"Tony…" he began, unsure of how to say what he needed to. "When I took Clint down…he told me James wasn't his favorite pet. I didn't put much thought into it, but…" he trailed off again.

"But what?" Tony pressed nervously. 

"There were more," Steve finally admitted, his eyes filled with equal parts anger and horror. 

"More?" Tony gasped, horrified. 

Steve nodded. 

"We found a secret tunnel beneath the shed. There were two in there. In the dark… _alone._ "

Tony's eyes grew wide with horror. 

"Oh my God, it's been months! Are they okay?"

"One of them was deceased when we found them. The other one is feral. He was living on insects and anything else he could find, he's so tiny, I…" Steve trailed off again, getting choked up. "I don't know how he survived."

"Where is he?" Tony demanded, feeling his heart ache for the person they'd found. 

"He's in hospital. He's going to need a lot of rehabilitation. They don't have any information on him, no name, no idea if he has family…"

"Do you have a picture? Maybe James knows his name," Tony suggested. 

"I just have one, but it could trigger something really awful for him," Steve pointed out, pulling up the picture on his phone. 

Tony looked at the screen, taking in the huge brown eyes framed with long lashes and shaggy curls framing the gaunt, pale face. He looked terrified and starved, and he was filthy and just as naked as James had been. The background was dark and looked like walls made of dirt. It was hard to make out where he was, and Tony wouldn't have known if Steve hadn't told him it was underground.

"Dear God," Tony breathed, unable to stop the tears that dropped from his eyes. "I think we should ask James about him, he deserves to be known."

Steve sighed and glanced at where James was laying happily on the carpet watching a movie. 

"Okay," he agreed reluctantly before moving toward James. 

"Hey, pal, I need to ask you a question." He knelt down on the floor and reluctantly showed the brunette his phone screen. "Do you know who this is?" He asked, showing James the picture on his phone. James glanced over as he popped a few kernels of popcorn into his mouth, then abruptly stopped chewing. 

"My brother," he said, looking hard at the picture. "Peter."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So...  
> Are you happier with this version of the ending? I sure am.  
> Please let me know your thoughts? I'd really (seriously) really love to hear them!

**Author's Note:**

> What do you think? Should I write more in this universe and continue the story?


End file.
